Month: June 2020

Salt water solution to reduce coronavirus progression?

A simple salt water solution may help to reduce the early symptoms and progression of Covid-19, University of Edinburgh research suggests.

This new study builds on a trial, published in 2019, designed to identify a low cost and easily accessible intervention against the common cold.

It found that participants who gargled and cleared their nose with a salt water solution reported fewer coughs and less congestion. Gargling also cut the length of their cold by almost two days.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh say the sea salt may work by boosting cells’ antiviral defence that kicks in when they are affected by a cold.

The team has re-examined the data and discovered the same benefits were also experienced by those participants who were infected with one of the four common coronaviruses known to cause colds.

Researchers now aim to investigate whether the same solution will benefit those who are experiencing symptoms of the new strain of coronavirus, which causes Covid-19.

The study is recruiting adults in Scotland with Covid-19 symptoms or a confirmed case of Covid-19. Those who join the trial will be asked to follow government advice on hygiene and self-isolation, with one group asked to gargle and clear their nose with salt water.

The study is funded by BREATHE – the Health Data Research Hub for Respiratory Health.

The original pilot study – known as the Edinburgh and Lothians Viral Intervention Study, or ELVIS – recruited healthy adults within two days of them contracting an upper respiratory tract infection – commonly known as a cold.

The participants were divided into two groups with one group asked to gargle and rinse their nasal passages with a salt solution as they felt necessary. The other group dealt with the cold the way they normally would do.

All participants kept a diary of their symptoms for up to two weeks. Self-collected swabs were also tested to measure the amount of cold virus in their nose.

Those who did nasal irrigation and gargling with the salty solution had a shorter cold, were less likely to pass it on to their family, had faster viral clearance and were less likely to use medicines from a pharmacy.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the University’s Usher Institute, said: “We are now moving to trial our salt water intervention in those with suspected or confirmed Covid-19, and hope it will prove to be a useful measure to reduce the impact and spread of the infection.

“It only requires salt, water and some understanding of procedure, so should, if found to be effective, be easy – and inexpensive – to implement widely.”

To find out more about the study and to take part, please go to https://www.ed.ac.uk/usher/elvis-covid-19.

Safer summer 2020 campaign launched to deter fire setting among young people

Firefighters responded to more than 1,700 deliberate secondary fires last summer, latest figures show. Crews were mobilised hundreds of times between June 24 and August 26, 2019 after the fires took hold in derelict buildings, grassland and refuse.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is now urging everyone to enjoy a #SaferSummer2020 in the week that would have marked the traditional start of the school summer holidays in many areas and as movement restrictions ease amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest statistics show that during the two-month period last summer, there were a total of 1,761 deliberate secondary fires across the country.
This is compared to 3,200 incidents during the same period the previous year – but SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Alasdair Perry said there is no room for complacency.
DACO Perry said: “During the summer we tend to see a rise in fire setting across Scotland, often by children and young people. 
“These include refuse and wheelie bin fires, fires in stairwells or derelict buildings, as well as grass and countryside fires made worse by hot and dry conditions.
“This presents a very real risk not only to those who set fires but to communities – fires can cause death and injury, spread to nearby buildings, affect the economy and also have a very real impact on areas of natural beauty and wildlife.
“This has been a difficult time for communities and the emergency services are already working hard to keep people safe – attending deliberate fires not only puts our own firefighters at needless risk but can have an impact on our resources.
“We want everyone to enjoy a safer summer and I would urge parents and carers to discuss the dangers of fire setting with young people in their lives to ensure they are kept safe. Be aware of where young people are going and what they’re doing.”
Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “I offer my warmest thanks to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who have continued to provide an incredible service and support communities through such a difficult time. 
“I am very happy to support this SFRS campaign to reduce deliberate fires. Responding to these fires uses up vital firefighter time and resources, which are even more important to protect whilst the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
“I would urge everyone to think how they can help stop deliberate fires being started – by speaking to other people about the real dangers to themselves, their communities and firefighters affected by every fire that needs to be attended.”
For useful safety guides for parents and carers visit
Share your #SaferSummer2020 activities with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service @fire_scot on Twitter and @ScottishFireAndRescueService on Facebook

New knife crime campaign on Tik Tok

Young people have a new and unusual TikTok challenge to get their teeth into during lockdown.

The #NoKnivesChallenge encourages young people to take their breakfast routine to a whole new level. The challenge is to butter a slice of toast with anything but a knife.

The No Knives Better Lives (NKBL) campaign is all about getting people to think about knife carrying, we may be in lockdown but the issue of knife crime has not gone away.

NKBL exists to reduce the incidence of knife carrying amongst young people by raising awareness of the potentially devastating risks and consequences associated with carrying a knife and promoting positive life choices.  NKBL is a primary prevention, national initiative that is delivered at a local level across Scotland.

The TikTok ‘Butter your Toast’ challenge will run for a month and will be hosted on the YouthLink Scotland TikTok account (@YouthLinkScotland). Young people who create a #NoKnivesChallenge video will be in with a chance of winning a £50 Amazon voucher.

Emily Beever, National Co-ordinator for NKBL at YouthLink Scotland said: “Knife crime has significantly reduced in Scotland since 2009 but it is still crucial to talk to young people about knife carrying.

“Peer influence plays a significant role in preventing knife crime. The #NoKnivesChallenge uses humour to encourage young people to have a conversation with their friends and say, ‘Carrying a knife isn’t ok. Ever!’ We are excited to see the weird and wacky things young people are going to butter their toast with.”

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We have seen knife crime in Scotland fall drastically over the last decade and No Knives Better Lives has played a crucial role in this. 

“We know however that there is still much more we can all do to reduce this further. The #NoKnivesChallenge will encourage young people from all over Scotland to highlight and talk about the consequences of carrying knife.

“I am looking forward to seeing what creative ideas everyone comes up with during this challenge.”

Young People and Knife Crime in Scotland

At its inception in 2009, No Knives, Better Lives was a response to the very high incidence of knife crime in Scotland and the corresponding high numbers of young people charged with handling an offensive weapon.  This position has changed dramatically over the last decade.

Between 2008-09 and 2018-19, the number of violent crimes recorded by the police in Scotland has nearly halved (falling by 48%), while recorded crimes of handling an offensive weapon (where not used to commit another offence) have fallen by 53%.

The number of young people, under the age of 18, convicted of handling an offensive weapon has fallen by 83% (from 456 in 2008-09 to 80 in 2018-19).

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey also shows a 48% fall between 2008-9 and 2018-19 in Violent Crime experienced by adults in Scotland, and that 11% of adults thought that people carrying knives was common in their area in 2018-19, down from 22% in 2009-10.

The general trend has been a large reduction in violent crime and weapons possession over the last decade. No Knives Better Lives attracted a lot of positive publicity for playing its part in helping to make Scotland a safer place for young people.

Over the ten-year period from 2008-09 to 2018-19, the number of crimes of handling an offensive weapon (where not used to commit another offence) recorded by the police in Glasgow City decreased by 65%.

About NKBL

No Knives, Better Lives (NKBL) is a national programme designed to deter young people from using and carrying a knife. It is a youth-work focused initiative supported by Scottish Government delivered by YouthLink Scotland in collaboration with local partners.

The aim of the initiative is to reduce the incidence of knife carrying amongst young people by raising awareness of the potentially devastating risks and consequences associated with carrying a knife and promoting positive life choices.  NKBL is a primary prevention, national initiative that is delivered at a local level.

Since 2014 all Local Authorities have been able to access support from NKBL.

NKBL – How does it work?

There are two main strands to our prevention work with young people:

  1. Working with partners in individual local authority areas in Scotland to support a strategic capacity building approach to prevention and to reach and train 100s of practitioners every year, who in turn deliver prevention work with tens of thousands of young people every year.
  1. Communicating prevention messages to young people through social media and innovative engagement programmes

Port of Leith allocates vital funding to tackle COVID

Charities and community organisations with practical solutions to tackle the urgent social and economic effects of the COVID crisis in Leith and north Edinburgh have shared additional financial support worth £150,000, Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) has announced.

PoLHA was selected by the Scottish Government to act as a community anchor organisation to identify and support 11 local organisations delivering COVID responses to receive much-needed funding from the national Supporting Communities Fund within a short timescale.

With a remit to fast track flexible access to funding where it is needed most, the programme built on the success of PoLHA’s COVID Response Fund, which distributed awards totalling £50,000 during April and May for community-led interventions ranging from emergency food provision for isolated or vulnerable people to boosting access to vital online services and education during lock down.

PoLHA Group Chief Executive, Heather Kiteley, said: “I am delighted that PoLHA has been able to collaborate with the Scottish Government to administer the Supporting Communities Fund locally here in Leith and north Edinburgh.

“Demand for support from organisations has been very high, reflecting the significant levels of need that exist, particularly among vulnerable people in the local area.

“It has been inspiring to see how organisations have been able to create imaginative and impactful responses to the difficult circumstances presented by the coronavirus crisis. They have shown they can adapt quickly to new ways of working, often in very challenging circumstances, and it’s great that additional funding has been made available for them to keep on making a difference.”

Eleven organisations and projects have been awarded a shared of the £150k funding. These include:

The Edinburgh Remakery which will refurbish 100 computers for distribution to households in Leith and north Edinburgh.  The computers will come with prepaid dongles to support ongoing access to the internet.  Households will be identified via a network of local organisations.

Out of the BluePrint which will make design and print services available to local community organisations to promote services on offer to those not on the internet or who might be in difficulty for the first time and unsure how to access support.

Edinburgh Community Food, already offering a significant number of free or subsidised food parcels, will be able to better cater for BAME families by offering 50 BAME families free appropriate food parcels.  The families will be identified via a network of local organisations.

Other organisations to have received funding include Building Bridges, Citadel Youth Centre, Dr Bells Family Centre, Edinburgh Volunteer Centre, MultiCultural Family Base, Pilmeny Development Project, The Ripple Project and YMCA Edinburgh.

Out of the Blueprint Project Manager Johnny Gailey welcomed the funding, saying: “The community eco-print service is a really timely driver for the Out of the Blueprint studio to reopen, providing our social enterprise with print jobs and income. 

“But more importantly, we hope that through the service, over 120 local projects will be able to get the message out about the local recovery services they are offering to support the most vulnerable in our society over the summer.”

Mike Kerracher, Manager at YMCA Edinburgh added: “Since lockdown began we have seen a continued increase over the impact of restrictions on the many isolated women and vulnerable children who engage in our services.

“Funding will allow us to further expand our provision to give those we connect with meaningful, regular contact and support through 1:1 sessions and online groups, as well providing essential items and resources to manage mental health.”

PoLHA expects to be able to distribute further funds to local organisations that are delivering COVID response services to households in Leith and north Edinburgh during the months ahead.

Utilities unite to help vulnerable customers

People who need extra help during a water, electricity or gas emergency will benefit from a new partnership approach by 12 utility companies.

They have created a joint video to promote the Priority Services Register, a service that all utilities provide for people needing extra support for a variety of reasons.

The companies involved – Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, SES Water, SGN, South East Water, Southern Water, Thames Water, UK Power Networks, Cadent Gas and Cambridge Water – are all members of the Utility Networks Partnership and are already working closely together to help customers living in vulnerable circumstances.

Pamela Goee, Head of Community, SGN said: “Keeping our customers safe and warm is of the utmost importance to us. 

“That’s why across the utility sector we have come together to make the Priority Services Register even easier to use, giving our customers extra support when they need it most. It’s completely free of charge and it’s simple to sign up.”

Kerry Potter, UK Power Networks’ Consumer Vulnerability Manager, who chairs the Utility Networks Partnership, said: “It’s fantastic to work as a team to create a new video promoting the Priority Services Register which is making it easier for eligible people to get support. When 12 utility companies share a consistent message, we can help far more people. 

“Collaboration is key to tackling vulnerability and our utility networks group work together to provide consistent services for vulnerable customers in the regions we serve.”

Thirty-five charity partners have helped develop the video to increase awareness about the free help available from utilities in the event of a gas, water or electricity outage.

The Priority Services Register is available to customers who:

  • Rely on medical equipment
  • Have refrigerated medicines
  • Are living with a serious or chronic illness
  • Have a disability or have communication needs
  • Are living with dementia
  • Are of pensionable age
  • Have children under five in the home
  • Need extra support for a short time due to life changing events like bereavement.

Customers are being encouraged to register now to make sure that, in the event of an unexpected emergency, they can benefit from free services from their utilities, such as providing tailored support like alternative cooking facilities, hot meals or bottled water.

 To find out more or register, please call our Careline on 0800 975 1818 or send an email to customer@sgn.co.uk

Witness appeal following knifepoint robbery

Police are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a shop in Shandon. The incident happened at a premises on Ashley Terrace around 7pm on Tuesday (23 June).

An unidentified man entered the store approached staff at the till and made a muffled request whilst showing a knife in his waistband. He threatened staff to open the register and took a three figure sum of cash.

He left on foot and is believed to have headed towards Harrison Gardens.

The man is described as being black, aged in his late 20s to early 30s, of a medium build and around 5ft 10ins tall. He was wearing a dark grey suit jacket, a black hooded top with the hood up, black trousers and black leather shoes. His face was covered with a black scarf and dark coloured sunglasses.

Detective Constable Zaira Marker of Corstorphine CID said: “Nobody was injured but this was a frightening experience for staff and customers alike.

“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to identify the man responsible, including reviewing CCTV from the area.

“Anyone who believes they may have information which could help identify the man or who was in the area at the time of robbery is urged to contact police as soon as they can.”

Anyone with information can call 101, quoting incident 3084 of 23 June, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Further route map detail announced

Provisional dates for the relaxation of travel restrictions, restarting of the hospitality industry and reopening of hairdressers are among further route map measures announced yesterday by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Setting out indicative dates, the First Minister stressed that while sustained progress has been made to suppress coronavirus (COVID-19), the changes remain contingent on scientific and public health advice.

Physical distancing of 2 metres continues to be required in Scotland. The First Minister confirmed that the Scientific Advisory Group is providing advice on higher transmission risk settings and physical distancing and that she will provide a further update on 2 July, ahead of the proposed dates for re-opening hospitality.

Detailed sectoral guidance will be published ahead of indicative dates and the Scottish Government will join with the retail sector in a campaign to encourage the use of face coverings in all shops.

Indicative early Phase 3 dates announced today are intended to give businesses time to prepare for reopening while adhering to public health and physical distancing measures to protect workers and customers. Final decisions on moving into Phase 3 will be taken in line with the statutory three-weekly review cycle, due on 9 July.

Indicative Phase 2 dates:

  • 3 July – Travel distance limit for leisure will be lifted
  • 3 July – Self-catering holiday accommodation will be permitted, providing it requires no shared facilities between households
  • 6 July – Outdoor hospitality can commence subject to the Scientific Advisory Group review

Indicative Phase 3 dates:

  • 10 July – People can meet in extended groups outdoors, with physical distancing
  • 10 July – Households can meet indoors with up to a maximum of two households, with physical distancing
  • 13 July – Organised outdoor contact sport can resume for children and young people, subject to guidance
  • 13 July – All dental practices begin to see registered patients for non-aerosol routine care, and work will begin to return aerosol generating procedures to practice safely
  • 13 July – Increasing capacity within community optometry practices for emergency and essential eye care
  • 13 July – Non-essential shops inside shopping centres can reopen, subject to the Scientific Advisory Group review
  • 15 July – All childcare providers can open subject to individual provider arrangements
  • 15 July – All holiday accommodation will be permitted
  • 15 July – Indoor hospitality can reopen, subject to the Scientific Advisory Group review
  • 15 July – Hairdressers and barbers can reopen with enhanced hygiene measures
  • 15 July – Museums, galleries, cinemas, monuments, libraries will reopen with physical distancing and other measures, such as ticketing in advance

Announcing the route map changes, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The sacrifices that have been made – and I know how hard and at times painful they have been – have suppressed the virus. They have also protected the NHS, and have undoubtedly saved a significant number of lives.

“They have also brought us to the position where we can now look ahead with a bit more clarity to our path out of lockdown, and I hope details announced today will provide people and businesses with more certainty in their forward planning.

“But let me be clear that each step on this path depends on us continuing to beat the virus back. That is why we must do everything in our power to avoid steps being reversed.

“The central point in all of this is the virus has not – and it will not – go away of its own accord. It will pose a real and significant threat to us for some time to come.

“Maintaining our progress also means all of us abiding by public health guidance. Wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded places, washing our hands and cleaning surfaces regularly, maintaining physical distancing, agreeing to immediately self-isolate and get a test if we have symptoms – all of these basic protections matter now more than ever as we all get out and about a bit more.”

Previously announced Phase 2 measures commencing Monday:

  • indoor (non-office) workplaces resume once relevant guidance is implemented. This includes: factories, warehouses, labs and research facilities. But excludes: indoor workplaces due to open in Phase 3 (e.g. nonessential offices and call-centres)
  • street-access retail can re-open once guidance is implemented. Interiors of shopping centres/malls remain closed for non-essential shops until Phase 3
  • outdoor markets can re-open once guidance is implemented
  • relaxation on restrictions on housing moves
  • outdoor sports courts can re-open
  • playgrounds can re-open
  • registration offices open for high priority tasks
  • marriages and civil partnerships allowed with minimal attendees, strictly outdoors only
  • zoos and garden attractions can open for local access only (broadly within 5 miles) until 3 July

Read the updated route map.

Vetsina Animal Diagnostics will offer significant developments in animal treatment

Roslin Technologies and DESTINA Genomics have joined forces to launch a new company which will offer significant developments in animal treatment and care.

In particular, the new venture, Vetsina Animal Diagnostics, will create solutions around the speed of testing, ability to detect low concentrations of biomarkers, utility of existing laboratory equipment, and the ability to transport samples from remote locations.

Vetsina will initially focus on the field of microRNAs (miRNA), the valuable biomarkers for infections, illness and disease.

Currently, miRNA analysis requires polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, with significant capital equipment costs and technical limitations, including refrigeration of samples and transport issues. This has a major impact on access to modern diagnostic modalities in many veterinary and animal situations, including large herds and remote locations.

DESTINA has developed a revolutionary chemical-based system for detecting nucleic acids and single nucleotide polymorphisms, for the development of simple, fast, accurate & cost-effective products for PCR-free detection of miRNAs in human medicine.

The company, which will be based at the Roslin Innovation Centre, has a unique patented chemistry that detects tissue and disease specific miRNAs in small volume samples with no amplification required.

It has also developed a buffer system that stabilises target miRNAs in plasma and serum at room temperature. This enables sample preparation, shipment and storage without need for refrigeration.

DESTINA is working on a range of targets in various human diseases. Some of these will translate into the animal space, and these will be Vetsina’s first targets.

Vetsina will also research the animal diagnostics arena to focus on targets based on market need, technical feasibility and the development of a balanced portfolio. DESTINA has provided Vetsina with an exclusive, world-wide sub-licence to its IP for the development of technology in the veterinary and animal health areas.

Roslin Technologies is supporting the new company through its access to innovation and IP from the University of Edinburgh and The Roslin Institute which have expertise in the miRNA arena through the medical, veterinary and chemistry schools related to animal health and veterinary science.

Hugh Ilyine, CEO of DESTINA and Executive Director of Vetsina, said: “We are excited by the huge potential of this new company which will apply DESTINA’s unique, patented technology for detecting nucleic acids by developing diagnostics tests for the animal health and veterinary arena, in combination with the animal health and commercialisation expertise of Roslin Technologies.

“Many miRNAs are tissue or developmental stage specific, which presents the opportunity to use them as non-invasive biomarkers of tissue function associated with a variety of physiological states (e.g. pregnancy) and diseases (e.g. neoplasia, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and infections).

“miRNA-based platforms are already being developed for clinical diagnosis of human cancer and other conditions. Studies in livestock have demonstrated the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers of mastitis, stress, energy balance and infectious disease.

“Vetsina will bring added value to these tests through direct-detection technology to improve the speed of diagnosis and facilitate the development of reference laboratory and point-of-care products.”

Nationwide community grants

  • 78% of Brits think homelessness and a lack of suitable housing are major issues in the UK
  • Over one in ten are (11%) have been worried about losing their home during the COVID-19 outbreak
  • 56% agree that homelessness could be eradicated within ten years if enough resources were given
  • Nationwide offers grants of £10,000-£50,000 to local UK housing projects

Covid-19 has had a major impact on the attitudes and concerns towards those who are homeless, new research from Nationwide Building Society shows. 

45% of people in the UK are more worried today as a result of being forced to stay indoors, according to survey of more than 6,500 people across the UK.

The research comes as Nationwide opens applications for its Community Grants Scheme, where charitable organisations can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 to make an difference in their communities. The Society is calling on charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives who need funding to apply.

Impact of Covid-19 on suitable housing and concern for those without a home

Close to half (45%) of people have become more concerned about those who are homeless in lockdown, with 61 per cent more concerned about those who may be living in an unsafe environment, for example those who are at risk of domestic abuse. Some 46 per cent think that when the pandemic ends, raising money for charities that support vulnerable groups will become more important than it was previously, an issue that is felt particularly strongly by those aged 18-24 (52%).

There is also a personal feeling that homes are under threat; as a result of Covid-19, more than one in ten (11%) are concerned about losing their property, a figure which jumps to 20 per cent for those who are unemployed. Three per cent are ‘very worried’ about losing their home. 

Homelessness is a major issue of our generation

The research shows that more than three quarters of GB adults (78%) agree that homelessness and a lack of suitable housing is a major issue in the UK, with millennials 25-34 (82%), students (85%) and those who are unemployed (81%) feeling particularly strongly.

It’s an issue that the majority believe has got considerably worse in recent memory too, with 60 per cent of the population agreeing it’s more prevalent than it was two years ago, and 71 per cent (71%) agreeing it’s a bigger issue than a decade ago.

Despite the fact that the issue of a lack of suitable housing is compounding in the public eye, more than half (56%) agree that, if enough resources were provided, homelessness in the UK could be eradicated within the next 10 years. Younger generations are more likely to believe this, with close to two thirds (65%) of those aged 18-24 agreeing, compared with 49 per cent of those over the age of 55.

Supporting local authorities 

A third of Brits (31%) believe their local authority has done a bad job at tackling housing and homelessness issues over the past five years. Those in younger age groups are more likely to believe their local authority had done a bad job tackling housing issues, with more than a third (34%) of those aged 18-24 believing this, compared to just over a quarter (28%) of those over the age of 55.

Over the past two years, around three quarters of the projects supported through Nationwide’s Community Grants initiative have included recruiting tenancy workers, project workers and support workers – roles that are traditionally filled by those working for local authorities but may have been cut back on due to funding issues. 

Kerrie Colford, Social Investment Manager at Nationwide, said: “Our Community Grants scheme offers financial support to those seeking to make a difference, those on the front lines of tackling housing issues that impact so many across the UK.

“We believe everyone should have a place fit to call home and helping people into homes has been at our foundation for more than 140 years. Particularly in recent times, the issue of homelessness and a lack of suitable housing has become increasingly important and with a shortage of new properties, outdated rental stock and a lack of support for the most vulnerable in our society, we feel it’s our responsibility to continue to help.”

Nationwide’s Community Grants initiative is now open for applications of between £10,000 and £50,000 from charities, community land trusts and housing co-operatives wanting to make a difference in their local area.

Applications are shortlisted and then Nationwide’s regional Community Boards, made up of Nationwide members and colleagues, come together to award the grants. Successful applicants will receive their grant to provide housing services to people in need to support the most vulnerable.

Anyone wishing to apply for a grant to make improvements to their community should go to www.nationwidecommunitygrants.co.uk

Over the past two years Nationwide members and colleagues have come together to award  £10 million to 251 housing projects across the UK. Applications for both Community Grants  and for members wanting to join their local Community Board are open until 31st July 2020.

Letters: Early cancer diagnosis is vital

Dear Editor,

Being diagnosed with cancer is hard enough, but imagine what it feels like if you are given this devastating news after an agonising wait of six months or even a year since you first went to see a doctor or nurse about something that did not feel right.

That’s the reality faced by countless numbers of people who are diagnosed with sarcoma cancer in the UK. These cancers of the bone and soft tissue are uncommon, and it is partly because of this that they are tearing apart people’s lives.

I lost my close friend and mentor Simon Mellows to sarcoma a number of years ago. One in three sarcoma patients in the UK waited at least six months after first speaking to a healthcare professional before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

As patron of Sarcoma UK, I know how important it is that someone with a suspicious lump or bone pain has it checked out, even during a pandemic.

Not only that, but we have to ensure that people are referred to the right place for treatment by experts at the right time. Late diagnosis or misdiagnosis has heart-breaking consequences.

Lives in the UK could ultimately be saved, which is why I am writing in support of the charity’s new report that focuses on the early diagnosis issues faced by sarcoma patients right now.

Richard Whitehead MBE, 

London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold medallist, Paralympian and Sarcoma UK patron