Dear John,

A cancer diagnosis is something everybody fears will happen to them. If you have not experienced it yourself, you are very likely to know someone who has.

In that moment, you will hope for, and expect, the best care possible, to relieve your suffering and put you on the path to recovery as quickly as possible.

But for far too many people, this isn’t happening.

Our latest research has found that nearly 1,000 patients in 2025 waited over six months for treatment; three times the NHS’ two-month target. One fifth of NHS trusts reported waits of over a year, with one patient having to wait an unbelievable 673 days.

It shames Britain that people are dying whilst on cancer waiting lists, after months or even a year of suffering while waiting to start treatment.

Cancer services were left on their knees by the Conservatives - but 18 months into this Labour Government, little has changed.

Today, on World Cancer Day, the Government announced their National Cancer Plan - full of warm promises, but desperately unfunded and powerless to deliver tangible change.

Their aim to halve the backlog in 3 years’ time is nowhere near ambitious enough, and will continue to deny hundreds of patients the care they need, and for some, heartbreakingly, it will be too late.

Cancer patients and their families deserve so much better.

Our plans would write a guarantee into law for 100% of cancer patients to be treated within 62 days from referral.

Our fully-costed plan would deliver this through 200 extra staffed radiotherapy machines, new radiotherapy centres in underserved communities, and over 3,000 more cancer nurses to ensure everyone has a specialist supporting them.

Please back our Cancer Care Plan and share it with your friends and family:

If you share our ambition to deliver real change, join the Liberal Democrats today:

Too many families are being let down by a broken system. The Government must finally offer hope and give people the care they deserve.

Best wishes,