British Commonwealth Games swimmer Archie Goodburn broke down in tears as he implored Prime Minister Andy Burnham to increase cancer research funding.
Goodburn, 25, was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumours at just 22 and has since campaigned for increased awareness of the disease and for more money to be raised in the fight against cancer.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday morning, the Scottish swimmer stared into the camera and made an emotional plea to the government to improve what he called the unbearable suffering of brain cancer patients and their families.
"Andy Burnham, if you believe and want to make a change and a difference to the future of our country and our young population, please listen to us," Goodburn said as tears streamed down his face. "Please establish a national brain cancer lead and give us a chance to fight for our lives because the things that patients are going through out there is unbelievable and so unjust."
"There are clinical trials around the world, in the US, in Australia, in China, that could change lives. We are not seeing them in the UK and it is unfair and unjust."
British Commonwealth Games swimmer Archie Goodburn broke down in tears live on the BBC.
"Please invest and make the difference. I'm on my knees begging for not just my own life but for those of my best friends and those that are affected and the families around the country," he said. "This has to change. It's been going for too long and the suffering is unbearable."
Rare Cancers Bill
His emotional plea comes after the Rare Cancers Bill, aimed at improving research and trials into rare types of the disease, became law earlier this year.
While Goodburn welcomed Scott Arthur MP's efforts in steering the Rare Cancers Bill into law, he said much more must be done to tackle what he called the extremely deadly disease. "It's a step in the right direction but it's not going to make the changes that we need," he said. "I'm extremely grateful for Dr Scott Arthur and the work he's done there."
"The rare cancers bill covers 14 different types of rare cancers. Brain cancer is one of these in terms of incidents of diagnosis, but it's not the same in terms of the number of deaths it causes. Yes it's rare, but it's extremely deadly. This frustrates me immensely."
He said the bill establishes two new positions, a clinical lead and a research lead, that are part-time across 14 different types of cancer and add up to 36 days a year combined. "There's two roles to cover 14 different types of cancer and change the landscape of treatment. I do not see how 36 days a year is going to make that change for 14 different types of cancers, let alone the most deadly type of cancer," he said.
Commonwealth Games final
Goodburn, who has faced significant challenges since his diagnosis, reached the 50m breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last week.
Goodburn was diagnosed with inoperable brain tumours at just 22 and remarkably reached the 50m breaststroke final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last week.
After missing out on a medal in the final, he said more must be done on brain cancer research. "It was an honour to compete in front of such a fantastic and supportive home crowd," he said. "To see the support off the back of those interviews has been really, really touching and inspiring."
"In that moment I was speaking about what felt important to me and the crowd were very supportive of my journey and it only felt right to address that when I got out the pool," he said. "What I do in the pool is only possible because of the medical advances that have been made and the campaign that's been done by the whole community. It was really kind of a chance to give back and make sure that momentum keeps going."
Advocating for patients
"I partly feel like why we hear so much about brain cancer and why the awareness is so poor is because patients unfortunately die so quickly," Goodburn said. "I have this prognosis which is slightly longer and it's given me this time to advocate - it's two years ago since I was diagnosed."
"I think when you're really backed up against a wall like that there's only really one way to go and that's to go and fight," he said.
