Oxenhope man campaigns for free dental care for breast cancer sufferers
A man from Oxenhope whose relative is battling breast cancer is campaigning for free dental care for those undergoing cancer treatment.
John Craven, a retired architect, has contacted his MP to raise the issue after a close relative developed severe dental health problems while undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Mr Craven’s family member suffered a loss of confidence and low self-esteem as a result of losing teeth during treatment. Mr Craven believes that free dental care should be provided for patients undergoing treatment who experience dental issues as a side-effect.
Leading cancer charities, including Breast Cancer Now and Macmillan, support Mr Craven’s findings and this is not the first petition for free dental treatment for cancer patients. Under current guidelines, the NHS will not pay for Mr Craven’s relative to have four missing teeth replaced and she has been quoted around £15,000 for implant treatment.
Mr Craven said that his relative is so conscious about her teeth that she doesn’t want to leave the house anymore. He spoke with the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, Robbie Moore, who agreed that more needs to be done to support patients going through treatment. Battling cancer is distressing and challenging enough without having to worry about the side-effects of treatment, including losing teeth, which is not as well known or prevalent as other complications, such as hair loss and nausea and sickness.
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