Stagecoach has partnered with NHS England to provide a double decker bus to support the ‘NHS Bus-ting Cancer’ Tour at a time when latest survey data has shown that more than two in five people wouldn’t make a GP appointment if they noticed a change that they thought could be cancer. The survey of 2,000 adults also found a quarter would wait to see if a potential symptom gets better on its own or ignore it and hope it goes away. The ‘NHS Bus-ting Cancer Tour’ aims to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and the wrapped blue bus, which thousands of people also visited earlier this year, started its new tour in Grimsby on Monday 27 November, before heading to Coventry, Nottingham, Basildon and ending in Portsmouth on Friday 1 December.
Dame Cally Palmer, NHS England National Cancer Director, said: “Our eye-catching NHS cancer bus is back touring the country to help raise awareness of cancer symptoms, and get people talking about their health, with teams of experts on hand to answer any questions. While signs and symptoms vary for different cancers, there are common symptoms such as unexplained pain or discomfort for three weeks or more, an unexplained lump anywhere on the body or unexpected bleeding, and anyone experiencing any of these should not put off seeing their GP.”
Stagecoach CEO Claire Miles said: “We are really proud to be supporting this great cause again and helping to raise more awareness in checking for the early signs of cancer. Our services cover towns and cities right across the UK, so we were delighted to partner with the NHS in getting the message out to local communities. If we can prompt even one person to get checked by their GP, then it’s a worthwhile endeavour for us.
“Our ‘Giving for Good’ charity committee has supported numerous campaigns and charities throughout the year and it is always a pleasure to see these ideas come to fruition to help more people, including our valued customers and employees.”