There is not a family in Scotland that has not been touched by cancer in some way.
Now, in the deepest health crisis we have faced in generations, the toll this deadly disease takes is predicted to rise sharply.
It is completely understandable that resources and priorities are being directed towards combating the Covid-19 outbreak.
The daily infection rate is rising and a vaccine doesn’t seem to be in sight.
But cancer cases are also on the rise and we know effective treatment and early diagnosis can be vital in saving lives.
Heartbreaking stories like Jackie Johnson’s, whose symptoms were misread then diagnosed too late, remind us of the dire effect the war on Covid is having on other health outcomes.
We must act now to prioritise cancer diagnosis and treatment or there will be many more examples like Jackie’s.
Opposition parties are warning that there is a hidden “tsunami” of cancer deaths behind the Covid headlines if the NHS fails to get to grips with treating patients in time during the pandemic.
Ministers and NHS leaders have a lot on their plate right now, and many different needs to answer.
But there has to be a recalibration of the balance between fighting the pandemic and the treatment of cancer patients.
