As I write this update, Jess’ university friend (also named Jess) is taking her first steps in the 26.2 mile course of the London marathon. She is running for our charity Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust and her friend. This morning, she sent me this message “I've painted my nails the shiniest colour I could find, Brady always used to offer to do them for me whenever I went round theirs for tea. A small token but it feels like I'll have a part of her running around with me ❤️❤️” The tenderness of those words, of course, made me cry.
Jess was many things, but she was not a runner. She walked at 9 months and had long legs, but her heart was not in running races. In the early Lockdown of 2020, Jess was super proud of herself before becoming poorly because she took on the ‘Couch to 5K challenge’ and was fast! Today, I know her heart would swell with love and admiration for her friend, Jess.
Watching a marathon is humbling and unifying. So many people face the most arduous of challenges with determination and courage. Humanity at its finest. Running for a cause. Often running for the people they love. What fight and spirit.
Since losing Jess, I have read many entreaties from bereft parents, their children lost to cancer, imploring our society to drop the war metaphors associated with this terrible disease. Those who have died are said to have lost their " battle with cancer ", while the living are described as " fighting cancer ". Why? We do not talk about fighting a broken arm or hearing loss. Jess did not want to die. She resolutely wished to live. She had no choice. There was no treatment and her body failed her. Jess was not weak. She did not give up. She did not have a chance.
Unfortunately, our chance of survival is largely dependent upon early diagnosis. Patients diagnosed early, at stages 1 or 2, have the best chance of long-term survival. Six years ago, the government wrote “At present, 52% of the top 10 cancers are diagnosed at stages 1 and 2. The government aims to increase this to 75% by 2028.” With four years left, this statistic is largely unchanged.
In 10 days, we meet again with the Royal College of GPs and the DHSC to discuss proposed training modules for GPs to improve earlier diagnosis. Jess’ charity will fund this training. NHS England has drafted a new patient safety strategy, currently, our campaign for Jess’s Law and an account of what happened to Jess is included. I have written again to Victoria Atkins requesting a meeting. I will be asking my MP to support this meeting. So many of you have contacted your MPs requesting the Secretary of State for Health take action. Please, if you are able, write again, the same letter, if necessary. As always, please continue to share this petition. Thank you so much. You are true warriors!
Like Jess, we will not give up.
I would like to dedicate this article to Charlotte, Larsen, DD, Ruby, Daniel, Izzy, Fred, Laura, Millie, Frank, Charlotte, Laura, Joe, Callum, Eddie, Milly, Jemma, Kylie, Ben and Henry. Each and every one of them was full of vitality and deeply loved.