Tuesday 15 September 2009

Cancer in Thanet gains national attention in Trafalgar Square

Best wishes to Hilary Jephcott reported in the local papers who's standing on the 4th Plinth artwork in Traflagar Square tomorrow to raise awareness of breast cancer.

She's had surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy and is on the road to recovery.

The Plinth artwork by Angel of the North sculptor Antony Gormley will be able to view at www.oneandother.co.uk from Thursday (possibly live too).

Memorial balloons can be bought and the names read out.

Thanet has the highest lung cancer rate in Kent and an early death rate of 11 years earlier than the rest of Kent which is a massive statistical skew. TDC provides an estimate of 1,750 deaths although the rationale for this is not clear.

Let's hope the cancer charities, NHS and other authorities are watching to improve these shocking death rates.

Presumably various increased cancer tests and screenings will be available from GP's and hospitals. I'd hope too that lung cancer from tobacco can be restricted in Thanet with the removal from sale in the main supermarkets. Tesco etc hardly need the profits from cancer sticks, and Thanet desgnated a Cancer Protection Zone.

Such cancer rates - especially after the event rather than preventative - are simply intolerable in Kent.

Clearly our own civil servants and councillors seem to have contributed to many of the problems eg lax airport regulation eg removal of noise and air monitors, no contaminated land strategy, Thor site closed-but-not-closed since 1988's mercury poisonings and Richboro power station and Ramsgate gasworks.

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