Labour MP Dawn Butler has announced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram. The 52-year-old MP for Brent Central said the prognosis is good because the condition was detected at an early stage.
Butler stated that she will take time off to recover fully from an operation, which she described as a complete success. “A mammogram saved my life,” she told the BBC. “Without a mammogram, my cancer wouldn’t have been discovered.” Her mother and sister have both survived breast cancer.
The Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, paid tribute to her “bravery, strength and determination”, adding: “I am sorry you’re going through this, but know that I, and the whole party, are behind you.” Butler became the first black woman to speak at the Commons dispatch box in 2009.
Butler emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and thanked the NHS, noting the immense pressure it is under. She called for proper investment in the health service, both structurally and in its staff, to ensure timely appointments and treatments.
