Then, now and the future of cancer.
There can be very few adults who have not been directly affected by cancer, either personally or with family and friends. According to Patient.info, ‘Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and multiply out of control. According to Wikipedia and other sources we have about 37 trillion cells in our body, 20-30 billion cells die each day and need replacing, resulting in about 10 quadrillion cell divisions in an average lifespan! It is therefore not surprising that sometimes things don’t quite go as planned, resulting in abnormal cells being produced. Thankfully our bodies usually recognise abnormal cells and deal with them. Patient.info tells us that ‘certain risk factors are known to increase the chance that one or more of our cells will become abnormal and lead to cancer’. Tobacco is the best-known risk factor, however there are others, including lack of regular exercise, red meat, processed meat, obesity, alcohol, the usual culprits! And unfortunately old age is a risk factor – ‘Most cancers develop in older people’. It is thought that a combination of factors can trigger the development of a cancer rather than just one thing. There is encouraging news in that more people are living longer after a diagnosis of cancer. According to the Office of National Statistics cancer survival rates have made significant improvements over the years. For example, testicular cancer has the highest 5-year survival rate at 95.3%. Childhood cancer survival has also increased significantly, up to 85.5% predicted for children diagnosed in 2018. While we cannot eliminate risks entirely, there are ways that we can minimise our risk of having cancer. Patient.info suggest 8 tips, many of which will be familiar to us! These include a healthy balanced diet rich in real foods, moving often, avoiding infections (if you can!), protecting against sun exposure, quitting smoking and keeping up to date with recommended health checks and screening. I would add one more – don’t get old! For now, what signs and symptoms should we not ignore? Patient.info has a list, but perhaps the key to this is being aware of what is normal/usual for us as individuals and then anything not usual/normal should be taken notice of. If you notice persistent changes such as unexplained lumps, ongoing bloating, a lasting cough, or blood in your stool, it’s sensible to get medical advice. Most symptoms turn out to have non-serious causes, but getting them checked provides reassurance and, if needed, allows early treatment. To see the full list go also to the NHS Website and search for cancer. And so to the future – there are advances in analysis and diagnosis, which will enable treatment to start earlier and save more lives. The government published in February 2026 ‘The National Cancer Plan for England: delivering world class cancer care’. This recognises that the care and treatment of people with cancer has not always been the best it could be. There are some very specific pledges, for example, ‘to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029, roll out a lung cancer screening programme by 2030 and roll out catch-up HPV vaccinations to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040’. The aim is that ‘3 in every 4 people diagnosed in 2035 will be cancer-free or living well with cancer after 5 years’. So what about now? Cancer can be a tough disease to cope with, whether it affects us or our loved ones. For help and support one of the best known organisations is Macmillan Cancer Support. You can phone 0808 808 00 00, or email, chat online or visit one of their centres, the nearest is in Weston. Visit the website for all the details. www.macmillan.org.uk
Support for people with dementia and their carers in Wedmore
Carer’s Group
Do you care for or support a person living with dementia? Then this friendly informative group is for you! Come along on the first Friday of the month to The Swan Hotel, Wedmore between 10am and 12md. There is no meeting in April as its Good Friday, so the next meeting will be on Friday 1st May. If you want to find out more about the Memories Workshops and Carers’ Group, phone HeadsUp on 01749 670667 or email wedmorecarers@yahoo.com If you need help with funding for attending HeadsUp, just ask, help may be available.
Coffee and a Chat
For general support with mental wellbeing Somewhere House, a charity based in Burnham, visits The Bluebird Café in Wedmore on the first Wednesday of the month, from 10-12md. They offer an opportunity to meet and chat. For more information contact them on 01278 780769
For easy links to the websites referenced please go to www.whawb.co.uk and go to the Wedmore News item for April 2026. You can reach them all with just one click and find out more interesting facts, figures and insights.
Cathy Butterworth
Wedmore Health & Wellbeing Project
01934 806266