Commonwealth Games swimmer Archie Goodburn was left shaking and in tears during an emotional plea on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday (August 4). The 25-year-old, diagnosed with an incurable form of brain cancer in 2024 at the age of 22, called for more funding and a national brain cancer lead.
Emotional plea to Andy Burnham
Appearing alongside hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, Archie broke down as he looked into the camera and said: “Andy Burnham, if you believe and want to make a change and difference to the future of our country and our population, please listen to us.”
The visibly shaking athlete continued: “Please establish a national brain cancer lead and give us a chance to fight for our lives because honestly the things that patients are going through out there is unbelievable and so unjust.”
Call for clinical trials
He highlighted that clinical trials in the US, Australia, and China could change lives but are not available in the UK, calling it “unfair and unjust” and urging investment.
With tears rolling down his face, he added: “I’m on my knees begging for not just my own life but those of my best friends and those who are affected and the families around the country. This has to change, it’s been going on for too long and the suffering is unbearable.”
Rare Cancers Bill not enough
Archie acknowledged the Rare Cancers Bill, aimed at improving research and trials, but said it is “not going to be enough. It’s a step in the right direction but it’s not going to make the changes we need.”
He also noted that brain cancer has received less than 2% of the national cancer budget since 2001. Having visited labs and seen potential breakthrough drugs, he expressed frustration that funding is not in place to turn discoveries into clinical trials.
“As a patient to see PowerPoint slides on how effective these drugs are working but they’re not even getting a chance to be tested on patients,” he said. “It’s extremely frustrating knowing that the patients are going through what they’re going through out there. You know young people are dying under 40 and knowing these things exist in labs but aren’t receiving the funding to make it out of the lab is truly painful.”
BBC Breakfast airs every day from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
