Hi ..

I think there should be councilling for those waiting for results .. just a phone number to call for reassurance or just to chat about how scared they are .. I had a masectomy.. 3 days in hospital ... blood transfusion... emergency op at 3 A.m with a bleed .. 2 drainage of Brest.. one op to reopen and take out 2 calsification lumps .. and more ...

The worst thing out of everything was that first wait for diagnosis and wait for op ... our thoughts are overwhelming... just a friendly voice would have ment the world .. I did call McMillan and that really helped.. having a cry while talking to a nurse .. but felt so much better after .. but McMillan can't be there for everyone .. and some don't want to be a bother .. but if only everyone had a number .. 

Rant over ... here's to everyone kicking cancers butt...  Chrissie xx

One way of drawing attention to this issue is to start a petition. Go to 38 degrees.org.uk - set one up there - it's free & easy & they have a lot of success. If the petition gets 100,000 signatures ( easier than you might think) the aims of the petition have to be debated in Parliament.

Hope this helpts.

Oh how I wish we had one M P we could relate too .. they seem all wrapped up in their own ambition ... there's no t one that I could say l have any faith in ... the only word they seem bothered about now is BREXIT ... even if they debate it.. it will get swept under the carpet .. they should come on here and read all those threads that are scared witless.... coz of waiting .. every day .. and the two week rule was hard enough .. but now some wait a lot longer .. with no safety net to call ... 

They are the lucky ones that come on here or McMillan... but what about those that don't know about these threads ... cancer sucks .. but waiting for results is even worse ... sorry .. vent over .. but this is one thing I feel passionately...  now breath ... Chrissie  ; ((  xx

You don't need ONE MP you need Parliament to debate it. One MP would say things needed to change but she/he doesn't have the power to change anything. If Parliament demands a change to things the Health Secretary will take notice. I know what I'm talking about so trust me on this please.

Organising a petition, as I suggested, is easy. Even if doesn't get the required number of signatures you'll have tried at least. Complaining on this forum might be ok in terms of venting but nothing will change unless someone takes some action. Unless anyone has a better idea why not try 38 degrees as I suggested? 

Hi purrfect ...

Don't know if your giving me advice ... or general .... I didn't start this thread ... our telemando did ... I just commented ... I've tried to change things before , for those young ones diagnosed or someone close to those young ones that come on here .. ore help ....that's my goal ... a couple of things worked .. some was like banging my head on a wall .. got nowhere ... 

I'm just an old girl who's journey through cancer has found me here ... doing what l can .. two years down the line ... like most of us , just doing my bit ...... 

You sound very knowledgeable... so maybe you'd know far more then me about getting things to change , so respectively ... maybe you could try your 38 degrees, and in doing so ... help telemando too ....

Chrissie....

hi Chrissie

I've only just signed up to this forum because I'm still being tested for bowel/lung cancer so you know what that's like. At the moment I can't complain about the way my GP has organised things - it's all happened in the past few days so really quick. She's hoping I'll get the results next Thursday. I gather this isn't the same for everyone from what I read here but other than that I have no idea at all about how it's supposed to work etc. A petition needs to be done by someone who understands the system far better than I do.

Also, at the moment I'm feeling very unwell & don't feel I have the energy etc. to do anything. It just needs someone to look at 38degrees & get going.

Hope this helps & that you are doing ok.

Kind regards

Hi purrfect and [@Chriss]‍ 

I've been following the chat between you with interest.  Like purrfect, I think a petition will be necessary at some point, but I don't think we are ready yet.  We need to collect data - i.e. people's stories of how long they've waited for results, and the impact it has on them, plus it would be good to get some solid evidence of why results seem to be taking longer.  Once we have those, we can select the best platform for a petition, choose the best wording, and then follow it up with a social media campaign. I'd like to say I know exactly how to do all this - but alas I don't. It's all new to me so it's quite a learning curve. 

ThisWell count me in when you start. All of my results were taking a month, when you’re steuggling with a cancer diagnosis, the last thing any of us need is a wait that is longer than necesssary. 

I understand that the pathology labs are struggling to recruit and are therefore short staffed but surely knowing this, the nhs should be addressing the problem not scheduling appointments to take account of it. 

Hi purrfect and telemando...

Think it's a shame we can't all meet face to face, with people who know how to change things .. we all want to do something .. and bet we could all bring something to the table .. but as a thread .. don't see how it can work ... 

And welcome aboard @Purrfect ... sure you'll make a good addition to these threads ... sorry if I read you wrong .. it came over that you were telling me what to do ... and as a Taurus,  wasn't happy ... but reading your next post, I can understand where your comming from ... 

I'm sure someone will let us know or find out more about 38 degrees ... I'm sorry your finding it really hard at the moment .. we know as we all get down days .. we all find it a real struggle at times ... but once you get on here, you know your not alone ... so keep with us .. and you know, you get far more back on here, then we give .. it's an amazing "safe place"  lovely to have your input ..

@Rilleyroo  ... let's get all our thinking caps on ... something needs to be done about these waiting times for results .. though these N H S cuts are braking a lot of systems put in place .. like the two week rule .. any advice / help from anyone ... much appreciated... telemando just get info together .. then let us all know what we can do separately.. so we don't over cross... good luck ... fingers crossed ... Chrissie xx