National Cancer Plan for England
Campaigning for people affected by cancer
From writing to all political party leaders, to appearing on TV sofas to champion the cause, Dame Deborah's family have been campaigning for a long-term cancer plan since 2024, backed every step of the way by the thousands of you who added your names to Cancer Research UK's campaign for a turning point for cancer.
The National Cancer Plan for England has now been published by the UK Government. It's an important first step towards helping to give more people more time with the people they love and progress like this would not be possible without your support so thank you 💜
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Now, it's time for government to get on with the delivery. The Fund will be working together with Cancer Research UK to support them and hold them to account, on behalf of everyone affected by cancer.
You can read more about what is in the plan and what is needed to ensure it truly is a turning point for cancer here.
L-R Michelle Mitchell, CRUK CEO; Ben James, Deborah's Brother; Sebastien Bowen, Deborah's Husband; Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health; Heather James, Deborah's Mum; Alistair James, Deborah's Dad; Ian Walker, CRUK Exec Director of Policy, Information & Communications.
“Last year my family and I met the Health Secretary during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. We showed him some of the cutting-edge research being funded in Deborah’s name through the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, to fulfil her wish of helping give more people affected by cancer more time with their loved ones.
“We also spoke about something that continues to concern us: too many people are still waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment for bowel cancer. Early cancer diagnosis matters, around 9 in 10 people survive bowel cancer for 5 years in England when it’s caught early, this falls to just 1 in 10 when diagnosed at the latest stage.
“The publication of the National Cancer Plan for England is an important moment. It’s encouraging to see commitments to meet cancer waiting times targets and diagnose people earlier, including through increasing the sensitivity of bowel cancer screening in England. But now we need to see these promises turn into real change for people affected by cancer and their loved ones.”
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Alistair James, Deborah's Dad
How We Got Here
April '24
Dame Deborah James's family got behind CRUK's calls for longer better lives, writing an open letter to all party leaders calling for a long term cancer plan in England to help give more people more time with the people they love.
June '25 With the publication of a National Cancer Plan for England confirmed, the Fund echoed CRUK's calls on government to ensure it would be the turning point for cancer needed. Alistair and Michelle Mitchell appeared on BBC breakfast appealing to viewers to back these calls by signing an open letter.
October '25 ​Alistair and a group of CRUK Campaign's Ambassadors travelled to Department of Health and Social Care in Westminster to hand in the open letter to Wes Streeting. The received amazing 35,000 signatures.
April '25
Deborah's Family and CRUK's CEO Michelle Mitchell hosted Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting at the Bowelbabe Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute to showcase the cutting-edge bowel cancer research being funded in Deborah's name.
October '25
Alistair joined Cancer Research UK volunteer Campaigns Ambassadors, staff and CRUK's CEO at West Ham’s Stadium in Stratford to highlight the 74,000 people in England who weren’t treated for cancer on time last year – more than enough to fill the stadium on a match day.
Feb '26
The National Cancer Plan for England is published.
Pajor Pawel/Shutterstock.com
What's Next?
Delivery time! The Fund will be working together with Cancer Research UK to support them and hold them to account to ensure that this plan is the turning point for cancer needed.
