Archie Goodburn thanked Prime Minister Andy Burnham after the UK Government announced new measures to improve brain cancer care.
The Scot revealed in June 2024 that he had three inoperable brain tumours and had been diagnosed with oligodendroglioma, “an extremely rare form of incurable, diffuse and progressive brain cancer.”
The Team Scotland swimmer was seventh in the 50m breaststroke at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after which he said: “One of my dreams is that we see a future where brain cancer isn’t the biggest killer of patients under 40.”
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, he made an emotional direct appeal to the Prime Minister, saying: “Andy Burnham, if you believe and want to make a change and a difference to the future of our country and our young population, please listen to us.
Burnham later contacted Goodburn on social media to set up the meeting at Downing Street.
After the meeting, Burnham announced a new national brain cancer clinical lead and promised a review of brain cancer progress and action to expedite treatment.
Goodburn, 25, thanked the Prime Minister and said all three of his requests have been “promised to some extent” but “fleshing out” needs to be done on the details.
Burnham described the swimmer an “inspiration to us all,” saying: “He has spoken passionately about the need for change on brain cancer, and he’s right: progress hasn’t been good enough, here or anywhere else.
“Families facing this disease can’t afford to wait.”