She warned that cancer care across the UK has reached a critical juncture and requires immediate, coordinated action to ensure that no region, including Northern Ireland, is left behind.
 
Ms Eastwood has said: "I know from speaking with people across Lagan Valley that timely diagnosis and access to cutting-edge treatments remain significant concerns for families affected by cancer. Whilst cancer survival rates have improved overall, too many of my constituents - and indeed, people across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - are facing unnecessary delays and barriers to treatment.
 
"Although childhood cancer is rare, it remains the leading cause of death by disease in children. The UK’s cancer survival rates and our access to innovative treatments, particularly in terms of these childhood cancers and blood cancers in particular, fall short of what is seen internationally in countries such as Canada, Australia, and Denmark, for example.
 
“With 1 in 2 people expected to receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, a standalone UK-wide Cancer Strategy is critical. Cancer knows no borders - patients across all nations of the UK deserve equal access to early diagnosis, innovative treatments, and world-class care.
 
“Only a coordinated national approach can close the survival gap with other countries, ensure consistent standards, and drive the research and innovation needed to tackle this awful disease head-on.
 
"The people of the UK, and my constituents in Lagan Valley, deserve a healthcare system that is both compassionate and world-class, and a dedicated Cancer Strategy is essential to achieving that."