Help us make sure prostate cancer screening stays on the Parliamentary agenda

Following the petition reaching 100,000 signatures, the case for a national prostate cancer screening programme will be debated in Parliament on 26 October.

We are encouraging everyone who feels strongly about this issue to contact their MP and ask them to attend the debate, support national screening and, where possible, speak in Parliament.

We’ve put together a template letter to make it easy. Please personalise the sections in [brackets], especially your own experience or connection to prostate cancer. A personal letter can help your MP understand why this issue matters to you.

Please take a few minutes to contact your MP — your voice could help make a difference.

For anyone sending this: replace all the [bracketed sections], particularly the personal experience section. The more personal the letter is, the more powerful it is likely to be.

Subject: Please support prostate cancer screening – Parliamentary debate on 26 October

Your Full Name: [Full name]

Your Address: [Full address, including postcode]

Contact Number: [Telephone number]

Issue: Request for support for a national prostate cancer screening programme and participation in the Parliamentary debate on 26 October.

Dear [MP’s Name],

I am asking you to attend the Parliamentary debate on prostate cancer screening on 26 October  and to support the introduction of a national screening programme.

This is an issue that is particularly important to me because [add your personal connection – for example, I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer / a family member has prostate cancer / I have lost someone to prostate cancer / I am concerned about the lack of early diagnosis].

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, yet it can develop without obvious symptoms. Too many men are diagnosed only when their cancer has already spread, when treatment can be more difficult and the chances of a cure can be reduced.

I was therefore delighted that the petition calling for a national prostate cancer screening programme reached 100,000 signatures, resulting in this important debate in Parliament.

I would be grateful if you would:

  • Attend the debate on 26 October, if your parliamentary commitments allow.
  • Support the introduction of a national prostate cancer screening programme.
  • Speak in the debate, if possible, and make the case for earlier diagnosis.
  • Encourage the Government to consider the latest evidence and advances in screening, including PSA testing and MRI.

I fully appreciate that any screening programme needs to be carefully designed and based on robust evidence. However, I believe we need to find better ways of detecting prostate cancer earlier, before men develop symptoms and when the disease is more likely to be treatable and potentially curable.

[Add a few sentences about your own experience and why this matters to you.]

I hope you will be able to attend the debate and support the campaign for national prostate cancer screening.

I would be grateful if you could let me know whether you intend to participate in the debate and what your position is on introducing a national screening programme.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]