With the winter freeze on the horizon, many are getting worried about energy bills, coupled with ever-increasing food prices.
Households have never been under so much pressure, so it’s important to know where to go for help.
That’s why I hosted another cost-of-living event at Centre 81 this month.
This gave my constituents the chance to pop along for a hot drink and a chat with the organisations and charities that can offer support.
My sincere thanks go to all of the organisations and charities who took time out of their busy schedule to attend and offer their help to my constituents. It is so appreciated.
If you couldn’t attend and you are struggling this winter, please never hesitate to get in touch with me. My team and I will always do everything we can to support you or we will direct you toward the appropriate group who can help.
In Parliament, since my last column, I have spoken in many debates in the Chamber.
One of these was on Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
This falls in November and I always feel it is so important to speak on this issue.
Being your MSP is a real privilege and I will always acknowledge how fortunate I am to have this platform, so I think it is important to use my position to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer and many other issues.
It was an emotional debate, one in which MSPs highlighted how the disease has affected their loved ones and constituents.
To end my speech, I paid tribute to the constituents I know who have sadly lost their lives to this horrific disease.
Greater awareness of pancreatic cancer truly is a matter of life and death.
Be aware of the signs and symptoms and get checked as soon as you notice something.
The symptoms are jaundice, upper abdominal pain or discomfort, mid-back pain or discomfort, pale and smelly stools, loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, new-onset diabetes, fatigue, change in bowel habit and unexplained weight loss without trying.
It is understandably a very upsetting and bleak topic when we look at survival rates, but there is also room to be optimistic.
There is inspiring research being conducted by a team at Imperial College London, funded by Pancreatic Cancer UK.
This is a clinical study to develop a breath test that could detect pancreatic cancer early enough to save thousands of lives a year.
If successful, this could make the single biggest difference to pancreatic cancer survival rates in 50 years.
I truly hope they are successful, as this would be a real breakthrough.
Comments