Labour MP Bill Esterson meets Everton legend and Lydiate resident Kevin Sheedy to hear how to Beat Bowel Cancer

Feb 4 2013

Labour MP Bill Esterson with Everton legend and Lydiate resident Kevin Sheedy and wife Jo.

BILL Esterson MP met Everton legend and Lydiate resident Kevin Sheedy at a reception in parliament for charity Beating Bowel Cancer.

Kevin and his wife Jo had travelled down to London on Kevin’s day off from coaching Everton under 18s to support the charity, something he does in his spare time.

The event was organised so that MPs from all parties pledged to support people with bowel cancer and Kevin and his wife Jo were there to support the cause which the former Everton star has championed in recent years.

At the event in parliament, Bill Esterson signed a pledge to say he would work with patients and the local NHS to ensure high quality and safe care is secured for all bowel cancer patients in Maghull, Lydiate, Formby, Crosby, Aintree and Melling.

Bill said: “I'm happy to sign this pledge and to support the principles in any way I can. I shall be working with the NHS in Sefton to ensure they are providing the 'gold standard' when it comes to treating bowel cancer patients.”

Mark Flanagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: “We strongly believe that the patient experience should be an integral part of the NHS and it is vital that better care is secured for all bowel cancer patients.

“We know of many cases where patients aren’t simply getting the level of care they need. We are therefore pleased to launch our Service Pledge as a measure of how hospitals should be providing a good experience to the bowel cancer patients they treat.”

Kevin and Jo Sheedy took the opportunity to look round parliament while they were there and told Bill how much they had enjoyed their visit.

Bill said: “It was great that Kevin and Jo were able to visit and to see the architecture of the Palace of Westminster and learn some of the history while they were here. I was really pleased that they were able to spend the whole day in parliament and make the most of the visit so that they could contribute through their support of the fight against bowel cancer as well as having some time to themselves.

“I always encourage my constituents to visit to see what an amazing place parliament really is. It is a privilege to work there during the week and I would like to share that sense of privilege with more constituents.

“I know how much Kevin and Jo enjoyed their visit and I hope that more people will be encouraged to visit as a result of Kevin and Jo's experience.”