IRVINE’S MP recently joined her SNP colleagues to raise awareness of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Wear It Pink Day.

Dr Philippa Whitford dressed up in pink along with fellow SNP MPs Carol Monaghan, Martyn Day, Chris Stephens, Owen Thompson, Joanna Cherry and Patrick Grady, pictured, to spread the word about Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraising event Wear It Pink Day, which this year falls on Friday October 21.

Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, and Wear It Pink Day – which is now in its 15th year and encourages people to wear something pink and donate whatever they can – raises around £2m each year.

Dr Whitford encouraged people to participate, not just to advance treatment and research in the UK but also to show solidarity with patients in places like the Gaza Strip, where Israeli border controls make treatment problematic.

Speaking in support of the event, she said: “Wear it Pink is a very simple but effective way of raising funds for further research into breast cancer, and I want to encourage people across the constituency to get involved and help Breast Cancer Now towards their ambition that, by 2050, everyone [who] develops the disease will live.

“As well as raising vital funds, Wear it Pink also helps raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and the need for women to be breast aware. When diagnosed early, the outlook for patients is very good, so it is important that women don’t ignore something they are worried about and those over 50 take up their screening invite.

“Fifty thousand women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK, and sadly around 11,500 women and 80 men will still lose their lives to the disease. Fortunately, however, more are surviving than ever before and as a breast cancer surgeon for 30 years I have seen the incredible advances that have been made over that time.

“This sits in stark contrast to the situation in Gaza, where I worked at Easter to assist with breast clinics and surgery. Because of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip, women diagnosed with breast cancer struggle to access the care they need at what is probably the most vulnerable and frightening time of their lives.

“Breast cancer is difficult enough to face without having such barriers to essential treatment and support.”