Clydebank's MSP has pledged her support to Pancreatic Cancer UK’s campaign to improve treatment rates for the disease.

Marie McNair was speaking as the charity launched its ‘Don’t Write Me Off’ initiative urging the Scottish Government to fund a new, faster, and fairer pathway to give all patients the best chance of survival and quality of life.

Scotland is currently the only UK nation that has committed in its national cancer strategy to focus on speeding up diagnosis and improving survival for pancreatic and other less survivable cancers.

And, Ms McNair vowed to do everything in her power to cut waiting times.

She said: "Time is truly of the essence with this devastating disease.

"Yet, while we have seen significant improvements in the diagnosis, treatment and awareness of many cancers, progress on pancreatic cancer has been slow.

“I hope everyone in Clydebank will join me in backing this campaign and help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms.”

At a special event in Holyrood recently, Ms McNair heard how pancreatic cancer treatment rates need to improve and met with those affected.

The local MSP also spoke in the recent Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month debate, calling for greater awareness and paying tribute to constituents, Helen, Donald, Billy and Christine who lost their lives to this tragic disease.

Around 900 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Scotland every year.

And Dawn Crosby from Pancreatic Cancer UK is calling on all governments across the UK to urgently implement and fund the improved care pathway to ensure future patients experience a diagnosis, treatment and care journey.

She said: "We’re extremely grateful Marie McNair MSP has shown her support for our ‘Don’t Write Me Off’ campaign.

“For seven in 10 people with pancreatic cancer to receive no treatment at all – not even chemotherapy - is shocking.

"The path from diagnosis to treatment must be faster, more efficient and encompass all aspects of a person’s care.

"Nobody should ever feel written off - regardless of whether their cancer is operable or not.

“The Improved Care Pathway represents the consensus of hundreds of health professionals and people affected by the disease who all care deeply about patients, wherever they live, having the best possible chance of survival and as much precious time with their loved ones.

"Scotland has taken the vital first step towards improving survival for people with pancreatic cancer and other less survivable cancers through its national cancer strategy and its funding of the Pancreatic Cancer Diagnostic Pathway Improvement Project pilot.

"It now must embed this and deliver on their commitments to speed up diagnosis and improve quality of life for pancreatic patients.”