Macmillan and Black Country Integrated Care Board are working alongside community groups to raise awareness around cancer.
Cultural barriers and a lack of awareness about what cancer is in communities can often lead to late diagnosis and poorer survival rates. We will look to address these issues through a proactive community engagement by holding regular sessions and awareness talks.
The key main areas that we will look at are:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Cancer Prevention and Early Diagnosis
- Cancer Screening Programmes
- Signs and Symptoms
- Living well and beyond cancer
We will be looking at visiting communities soon with a range of awareness sessions and practical workshops, remember your feedback is key! We want to build these sessions around what you want and allow you to have a voice. We are happy to come to already established groups so just let us know what the dates and times are.
Community Connectors Project
We are excited to announce a new two and a half year project, funded by Macmillan, alongside four local organisations across the Black Country and Sandwell.
The Black Country Integrated Care Board, Macmillan Cancer Support and the four community organisations are working together on the project, which aims to address these health inequalities.
To achieve this, the partners will:
- Identify and address barriers to accessing cancer information and support, cancer screening, and health cancer services.
- Identify and address myths, perceptions and behaviours relating to cancer.
- Increase knowledge about cancer, including signs and symptoms, screening programmes, how to access services and cancer treatments.
- Increase trust in services.
Bangladesh Islamic Association Smethwick [BIAS] was established in 1986 and is a formally constituted, community-led, independent charitable organisation committed to the alleviation of disadvantage, inequality and deprivation through a targeted range of services to the communities of Sandwell and with a particular focus on the Bangladeshi community. Visit their website here.
Nishkam Civic Association is a Sikh faith-inspired organisation located in Handsworth, one of the most deprived areas in England, suffering from significant and systemic inequalities. Established as a registered charity in 2002, it is now recognised as a trusted anchor organisation. Its mission is to selflessly go above and beyond to help others. Visit their website here.
West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre (WBACRC) is a community voluntary organisation and charity that has been in operation since 1985. Its prime purpose is to improve the life chances, opportunities and experiences of African Caribbean communities and local people. Visit their website here.
Yemeni Community Association (YCA) is a voluntary organisation that was established as a charity in 1997 and stands as a vital cornerstone in Sandwell, addressing the multifaceted needs of Yemeni and other Arabic-speaking communities, as well as extending its support to disadvantaged groups in the region. It has a number of volunteers across Sandwell. Visit their website here.
For more information on the project please contact the Programme Manager, or the Community Connectors, based in each organisation:
Programme Manager – Black Country ICB
Kassie Styche
Kassandra.
Nishkam Community Connectors
Sukhvinder Uppal
sukhy.
Ravinder Dhanjal
ravinder.
Bangladeshi Islamic Centre Community Connector
Nila Akram
nila
Yemini Community Association Community Connector
Ameena Westwood
ameena
West Bromwich Afro Caribbean Resource Centre Community Connector
Veronia Howe
veronica.
Community Cancer Champions Programme
Are you interested in becoming a Community Cancer Champion? This training will aim to improve early diagnosis of cancer, addressing some of the health inequalities. Talking helps break down fear and barriers. This training program is designed in conjunction with Cancer Research UK and will give participants the knowledge and confidence to have conversations in their community about cancer prevention, myth-busting and early diagnosis.
What is a cancer champion?
A Cancer Champion is a role that simply requires you to take top tips and best practice back to your community and setting and help to improve awareness around cancer screening and early diagnosis.
This training will take place over three sessions and all sessions must be completed to finish the course.
We recently spoke to one of our cancer champions, Natsai Telfer, who talks us through her brief journey and why she decided to become a cancer champion.
Please get in contact with the team if you would like more information.
Primary Care Cancer Champions are a range of healthcare professionals within GP surgeries across the Black Country who are trained and able to develop locally led action plans and share best practice with other colleagues and patients. This will help to develop actions across Primary Care that will have an impact on patients likelihood of surviving cancer.
Cancer Champions take part in regular forums, where community and primary care come together to share best practice across the Black Country.
