Justin Madders has been on ‘Purple Alert’ during November in aid of a cancer charity. 

The Ellesmere Port and Neston MP has been supporting Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, to help transform the lives of people affected by the disease.

The scheme is part of the Pancreatic Cancer UK’s charity’s Purple Alert campaign, which sees people wear a purple and take part in fundraising events to generate discussion and awareness of pancreatic cancer.

At a Parliamentary drop-in event, Mr Madders heard that 93 per cent of people diagnosed will not survive five years or more – and there has been very little improvement in survival since the early 1970s.

Mr Madders said: “Tragically, pancreatic cancer took the lives of 171 people in the NHS West Cheshire CCG area during 2010-2014.

“It is clear that much more work is required to achieve the improvements in survival so desperately needed.

“This year, 9,600 people in the UK will get pancreatic cancer.

“I want to encourage everyone in Ellesmere Port and Neston to join me in getting on Purple Alert, to help change the future for everyone affected by the disease.”

For further information visit www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk.