As UK COVID-19 deaths rise above 41,000, other serious diseases can get forgotten. For example, every year over 160,00 UK citizens die of cancer. And this will continue long after COVID-19 is beaten. International science works wonders to enable treatments that revolutionise patient care, but the fight goes on. Failure to strike a UK-EU deal for science by December will block collaborations essential for new treatments, and ultimately cost lives. A deal is desperately needed, so let's make sure it happens.