Two West Yorkshire men committed to improving cancer care, treatment and support have each secured a regional role to represent the interests of patients and local communities.
Mike Frazer and Paul Vose have both been appointed as new lay members on the Board of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate (WYH) Cancer Alliance – one of 19 Alliances established nationwide to deliver the significant improvements in the national cancer plan.
Mike, of Apperley Bridge in Bradford, and Paul, of Ackworth in Pontefract, will join health and care representatives of each of the six local places in West Yorkshire and Harrogate – Bradford and Airedale; Calderdale; Harrogate; Kirklees; Leeds and Wakefield – along with national charities and voluntary/community organisations on the newly-reconstituted Alliance Board.
Phil Kelly, former Chair of Yorkshire Cancer Patient Forum and ‘patient voice’ on the Alliance Board since it was established in October 2016, will step down at today’s meeting (September 12), when he will be formally thanked for his work and commitment. Members have agreed to build on Phil’s contribution and strengthen the patient voice by increasing the lay membership to two positions.
Paul, pictured left, now 56, was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in 2006, at the age of 44 and within four weeks of diagnosis began the first of three chemotherapy sessions and 36 daily sessions of radiotherapy.
Complications following treatment meant that for 10 years Paul was unable to swallow, receiving all nutrition and calories via a feeding tube directly into his stomach.
Despite the challenges presented by his condition and treatment – including having to give up his work as a Commercial Bank Manager – Paul has continued to spend much of his time helping to improve cancer care and treatment, sharing his own experiences to help promote good practice and secure change where needed.
He is Treasurer and Vice Chair of the Yorkshire Cancer Patient Forum; member of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust Living With and Beyond Cancer steering group; joint founder and steering group member of the Pinderfields Macmillan Information Centre, and Chair of the Mid Yorkshire Cancer Partnership Group, working closely with the Trust cancer team.
Mike, 67, is a retired Civil Servant. A widower, he cared for his wife, Anna, for two years until she died of acute myeloid leukaemia in 2016.
Since then, Mike has become an active volunteer and fundraiser with several local community groups, including Greengates Local History Group and the Friends of Greengates Cenotaph.
He is the lead for the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at his local surgery with a particular interest in the better integration of services to reduce waiting times, and early diagnosis/treatment for cancer.
Mike is also interested in improving patients’ access to information and has been involved in the production of a number of materials, including a social prescribing booklet to be issued by GPs to improve care for patients who are vulnerable or isolated.
Said Professor Sean Duffy, Alliance Clinical Lead: “We’re delighted to welcome Mike and Paul to our Alliance Board, where through their personal experience and networks they will ensure the voice of patients and others affected by cancer continues to be heard, right at the very heart of our decision-making.
“Our Alliance ambition is to ensure cancer services and support is wrapped around the needs of our patients, with the same high standards of care available to all. Together with our recently-formed community/patient panel and other opportunities to work with the Alliance across our five priority work areas, our new lay members will play a vital role in making that happen.”
