Survival rates for oesophageal cancer are notoriously low with just 15% of people likely to survive five years after being diagnosed.

Hove MP Mike Weatherley, who was diagnosed in 2012, is currently in remission from the disease and doing well but knows the odds are against him surviving another parliamentary term.

Hopefully he will be one of the fortunate 15% but in the meantime he has devoted his last few weeks in Parliament before stepping down as MP in May to raising awareness of oesophageal cancer and the need for more investment to improve early diagnosis.

His efforts are welcome and much needed, as one of the main issues around oesophageal cancer is that many patients are not diagnosed until it is too late.

Learning and recognising the symptoms and improving access to diagnosic tests would help improve the current diagnosis rates.

Speaking about his personal experiences and raising the issue in a parliamentary debate has helped Mr Weatherley put the issue on the map and hopefully may help save more lives in the future.