A CAMPAIGNER from the Wee County has made a plea to Alloa and Grangemouth hopefuls in a bid to save more lives from cancer.

Alloa's Rosa Macpherson, 67, joined other cancer campaigners at a special event in London last week as they called for the disease to be a top election priority of all parties and candidates.

A volunteer ambassador for Cancer Research UK, Rosa was one to highlight the charity’s Turning Point for Cancer campaign.

Rosa, a uterine cancer survivor who sadly lost her husband to lymphoma cancer in 2004, is urging Westminster candidates to commit to help transform cancer survival if they are elected.

With polling day fast approaching, she said: “Cancer affects every family, in every constituency.

“We must make sure it is at the forefront of the minds of all future Westminster MPs in every UK nation.

“As political parties reach out to the country, there’s never been a better opportunity to come together and demand the action people affected by cancer so desperately need and deserve.

“So, I hope people in Alloa will get involved by emailing their local candidates and having their say.

“Saving lives must come before politics.

“This general election must be a turning point for cancer.”

The Alloa campaigner joined others in underlining a £1billion gap in UK funding for life-saving research over the next decade.

Analysis from Cancer Research UK showed that around 2.2million people in the UK are projected to be diagnosed with the disease in the next five years.

Rosa is also calling on the next UK Government to bring back legislation to raise the age of sale of tobacco in the first King’s speech following the election, so that nobody born on or after January 2009 would ever legally be sold cigarettes in their lifetime.

This would mean Scotland could begin its own legislative process again to help ensure that every UK nation protects future generations from the harms caused by tobacco.

READ MORE: Tony Russell is Fellow of Educational Institute of Scotland

Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer and is responsible for around 55,000 cases a year in the UK.

Shaun Walsh, head of public affairs and campaigning at Cancer Research UK, added: “We’re grateful for Rosa’s dedication to the cause.

“The entire cancer community is calling for the next UK Government to help prevent future cancers and improve survival, which will take the support of parliamentarians from all corners of the UK.

“Nearly one in two people will get cancer in their lifetime. Urgent action to tackle the disease will mean more people living longer, better lives.”