The mobile information and support specialists at Macmillan Cancer Support are coming to Ross-on-Wye’s livestock market to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Normally based on a big green bus called Betty which travels across the Midlands, the team, who affectionately call themselves ‘The Betties’, are heading out to Ross on April 10th, between 8.30am and 12.30pm. They will then visit the county’s other livestock markets.

Moray Hayman, a cancer information and support specialist on the bus and one of ‘The Betties’ coming to the markets, said: “We’re heading to the livestock markets because we need to try a number of different ways to reach the rural population with our specialist information and support.

“We know that getting worrying symptoms when you’re a full-time worker is a tricky issue. Especially when you’re a farmer, getting the needed time off to speak to a healthcare professional is near impossible and that’s why we’re trying a different approach. We’re bringing the cancer information to you.”

She continued: “Herefordshire is a very rural county with employment made up by generations of farming communities, and around 520 people in the county die from the disease every year. Yet early diagnosis is the biggest factor in increasing your chances of survival.

“The support we’re offering Herefordshire’s livestock markets is the opportunity for both men and women to understand the early signs and symptoms of cancer, especially prostate, testicular, bowel and lung cancers. And we want to provide a safe environment for farming communities to chat through any concerns whilst continuing the routine of their weekly visits to the markets.

“We’re really looking forward to meeting some interesting people, but we probably won’t be buying any livestock. We’ll leave that to the experts.”