Act on Cancer Together – Raising Awareness Across Communities
Cancer can affect anyone, but its impact and burden are not evenly distributed, and health inequalities can lead to significant differences in outcomes.
Socioeconomic factors such as employment status and education as well as ethnicity contribute to these disparities, with people living in areas of deprivation being more likely to be diagnosed late. Act on Cancer Together is an outstanding city-wide partnership between TDC, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Hangleton and Knoll Project, with a shared aim: to reduce health inequalities and ensure residents can get diagnosed as early as possible, with a focus on areas across North and East Brighton.
Raising awareness by actively engaging with communities has been a key part of this project, and when Amy Knowles, Health Engagement Worker for TDC said she was keen to get the word out, meeting up at an event was definitely the best way to find out more.
It was inspiring to catch up with Amy at last month’s Active Forever event at Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre.
Armed with a display board filled with resources, information, flyers, and clearly driven by genuine enthusiasm for raising awareness, it was a great opportunity to learn more about Amy’s work.
“It’s about starting conversations, engaging people and minimising cancer-related stigma.”
Amy was clearly brilliant at engaging people, and in between conversations, and sharing resources, she spoke more about the importance of reaching out to communities: “Me having a conversation with somebody in the community about cancer could empower that person to speak to their GP, or a friend or family member about being screened or tested.”
Amy spoke about the importance of raising awareness of the early signs and symptoms of cancer, with a current focus on raising awareness around the risk factors of prostate cancer in line with the national campaign. These include being black, over 50, and having a family history of prostate cancer.
Amy also spoke about the importance of letting communities know what support is available to them.
“It’s important to build up familiarity with communities, I’m at Active Forever this week, Moulsecoomb Community Market next week, and then Whitehawk Advice Cafe. All areas where there are health inequalities and all places where I can speak directly to residents and share information”.
The following week, I met with Amy again, this time working alongside Maha, at Moulsecoomb Community Market.
There was clearly a very positive response to the outreach work they were doing together, and while Amy spoke with residents, Maha told me about some of the barriers to accessing support.
“Many of the residents I’ve been speaking to are experiencing a lot of issues stopping them from going for cancer screening because of language barriers or they feel that services aren’t culturally appropriate.
I am able to speak to some of them in Arabic, and support them with signposting and referrals. It helps with issues around stigma, and those people can then share the information with their communities.”
“I’m at the Macmillan Horizon Centre every third Wednesday of the month welcoming patients, and giving them advice. Many have been let down by services, so Act On Cancer Together helps residents to engage again, and builds trust.”
Amy and Maha’s engagement work and the sharing of tailored information about cancer in North and East Brighton is so vital, and spreading awareness of Brighton-based cancer services is clearly making such a difference.
You can find out more about Act On Cancer Together and how you can access information and support here.