Labour MP Jess Phillips has shared personal reflections on her late mother’s influence on Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s early political career, recalling how her mother, former NHS executive Jean Trainor, gave Burnham one of his first roles in politics. Burnham served as a parliamentary officer at the NHS Confederation shortly after graduating from university, working under Jean Trainor’s leadership.

Phillips, 54, fondly remembers Burnham as a young man starting out in politics, describing him as “a 21-year-old lad who works for my mum and forgets his keys.” She noted that her mother would have found it amusing to see Burnham now serving as Prime Minister. “I went to see him the other day and he was like, ‘What would your mum think?’ I said, ‘I think she would think it was funny that you’re Prime Minister,’” Phillips said.

Jean Trainor passed away at 61 after being misdiagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, a turning point in Phillips’ understanding of healthcare challenges. She described her mother’s death from a rare cancer as a painful reminder of the gaps in diagnosis and treatment: “I just thought if my mum couldn’t get the right treatment and diagnosis, nobody can.”

In contrast, Phillips’ father, Stewart, 83, has been living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia for more than 30 years, benefiting from advances in treatment for blood cancers. Diagnosed when Phillips was 11, his survival and quality of life underscore the positive impact of medical research. “Research into blood cancer is the reason I wasn’t an orphan aged 28. There is a really positive story to be told, but that story is only because governments, organisations and charities invest in research. It’s not an accident, or a stroke of luck,” she said.

Phillips is lending her support to Blood Cancer UK’s “Here for This” campaign during Blood Cancer Awareness Month. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by patients and to highlight the importance of ongoing funding for research that improves survival rates and patient outcomes.

Information about the campaign and resources for patients and families are available through Blood Cancer UK’s website and helpline.