Westminster Diary - 6th April 2006

Thursday, 6th April 2006

Last week I initiated a debate in the House of Commons about childhood brain cancers. I did so primarily because of the case of my constituents Karen and George Archer, whose son Thomas died of a brain tumour last year. Thomas was only 2 years old and few of us will be able to imagine the devastation his death has caused for the Archers. Nevertheless, Karen and George have been determined to ensure that some good comes from their son’s death and a great deal of good already has. When it became obvious in October last year that Thomas had little time left, the Archers’ neighbours made sure he would experience another Christmas by bringing it forward – the street was decorated early and even covered in artificial snow. Their generosity and compassion was wonderful. Since Thomas’s death, his parents have managed to raise over £15,000 for the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at Nottingham University and just as importantly, they have succeeded in raising awareness of the condition which killed their son too. This type of cancer now kills more children than any other disease, yet it has little public recognition. Karen and George Archer want to change that and it was my privilege to help them in that task last week.

I wanted to focus the government’s attention on 2 things. First, the need to identify brain cancer in children as early as possible. Three British doctors mis-diagnosed Thomas’s cancer as an ear infection before, a few days after the last appointment in this country, a French doctor correctly identified it when the Archers were there on holiday. I do not wish to criticise the British doctors involved – brain tumours in children are extremely hard to spot – but surely we have to ask about what is being done differently in France? Secondly, the importance of effective research into possible treatments. We all understand that extra funding is hard to come by in the NHS these days, but I referred the Health Minister, who answered the debate, to a European Directive which, according to doctors I spoke to who work in this field, is hampering researchers with too much paperwork. The government should lighten the load and enable medical scientists to spend more time in the lab and less in the office. If they can save more time, they can save more lives.

The Minister listened and promised she would investigate. I hope she does, and that she acts. If she does, she will do so partly because of the courage and determination of Karen and George Archer. Their son would be very proud of them, as can we all.

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Updated on Thursday, 6th April 2006