While we wait for the summer to arrive why not take consolation in reading the July Answer Cancer update for 2024, which will give you things to do and think about while you anticipate the suns appearance. We hope you enjoy the links, news and information.
Newsletter Highlights
- Book onto our range of training sessions up until September 2024.
- What’s the difference?
- Save the date
- Winning ways
- Can you help?
- Winner! Who won our quarter one prize draw?
- New videos
- Find out who has pledged to Bee Seen, Get Screened.
- Have your say
- Answer Cancer at Manchester Mega Mela
- Engage with Voluntary Sector North West
Upcoming Training & Events
Free training sessions from Answer Cancer, the Greater Manchester Cancer Screening Engagement Programme! Different dates and times are available to suit you. We are now offering training through a mixture of online and face-to-face sessions, so please make note when signing up!
You need to register in advance to attend the sessions, but you can join as many sessions as you like. For a list of courses and register, please click here.
Courses provided by other organisations
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Talk Cancer CoursesThe 2024 dates for Cancer Research UK Talk Cancer and Train the Delivered by nurse trainers, these online, interactive workshops give • How to reduce the risk of cancer If you promote health and wellbeing in your community, the Talk Cancer |
What’s the difference between an Organisational Cancer Champion and a Bee Seen, Get Screened pledger?
Organisational Cancer Champion
As well as working with individual Cancer Champions, Answer Cancer also works with organisations who can share cancer awareness messages in the communities they work with. We are particularly keen to work with organisations who support BAME people, carers, disabled people, the LGBTQ community, those experiencing poor mental health, and individuals on a low income. These groups have particularly low levels of engagement with cancer screening services, and this is something which we need to improve.
Sign Up
Bee Seen, Get Screened pledger
One of the reasons people tell us they don’t go for screening is because they cant get time off work. Bee Seen, Get Screened pledgers show their commitment to Answer Cancer by guaranteeing their employees time off, or the flexible conditions, to attend their cancer screening appointments if they are unable to attend outside of working hours. They also support Answer Cancer in raising awareness of the screening programmes available to their staff.
Sign Up
Not all of our Answer Cancers Organisational Champions are also Bee Seen Get Screened pledgers. If you are an Organisational Champion and want to go the extra mile to support your own staff, as well as your service users, we strongly encourage you to make the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge too.
Save the Date
Our next Champions Appreciation Event will be on 10th October at the St Thomas Centre Adwick Green. Don’t miss out. Get the date in your diary NOW!
Our winner – Rona Barbour
We are very proud to announce that our fabulous Cancer Champion, Rona Barbour, won the Volunteer Champion category at this years Greater Manchester Health and Care Champion Awards in July. Rona’s exceptional storytelling skills and her dedication as an Answer Cancer Champion make her a deserving candidate for this recognition.
Rona has been an Answer Cancer Champion for the past 5 years. During that time, she has contributed to spreading the word about the importance of cancer screening and early detection of cancer wherever she sees an opportunity.
Rona works as a professional storyteller and has recently decided to utilise these skills to train and develop other Answer Cancer Champions. To this end Rona has shared her exceptional communication skills with Champions, so that they can effectively convey stories that resonate with a wide audience, and shown them how to initiate and maintain difficult conversations and challenge strongly held assumptions with humility and humour.
If you missed Rona at our last Champions appreciation event, or at the workshop she lead in March this year, you have missed a treat. We are hoping to hold a further workshop in the near future, so look out for details of this unmissable event. Rona, centre.
See Rona get her award
This quarter’s prize draw winner
Olurotimi won our £50 prize for filling out our quarterly survey at the end of June.
You can be a winner too. Just let us know what you have been doing in you role as an Answer Cancer Champion. Our next survey will go out at the end of September. It only takes a few minutes to do and you could be treating yourself with an unexpected bonus.
Watch our new videos
Adeline Dallman and Jacqui Beech work for PossAbilities CiC, who were early adopters of the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge. In these two new videos, they talk about their experiences of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and share what they have learned.
Check out these and all our other videos on the Answer Cancer YouTube channel or watch them on the Answer Cancer website news page.
Watch Adeline’s story here
“Arm yourself with the tools of what to look out for and spread the word. Make more people aware. Knowledge is power.”
Watch Jacqui’s video here
“If you are under 50, make sure you check yourself regularly. From the age of 50 you will get called for screening every 3 years. Don’t be too busy to attend, your life may depend on it.”
A massive boost to Bee Seen, Get Screened
Gazzala and Jacqui from the Answer Cancer team talking to MFT staff about the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge and the importance of screening at the MRI Community Day.
We are delighted that Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has signed up to the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge. MFT are responsible for running ten hospitals across Greater Manchester including North Manchester General Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Trafford General Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital.
This means that their 30,000 employees across Greater Manchester benefit from the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge which ensures:
Time off or flexible working to attend cancer screening appointments.
Making opportunities to talk about cancer and the importance of cancer screening at work.
If you would like to follow MFT’s lead and make staff wellbeing a priority in your workplace you can find out more by having a chat with us, visiting our website or just sign up below.
It’s free, easy, quick to do and saves lives.
Sign the Pledge
Have Your Say
The University of Manchester is seeking mothers with young children at home to join an online discussion about breast cancer risk, healthy living, and family support. The discussion aims to gather opinions on how family dynamics, including the involvement of children, can support mothers at risk of breast cancer in adopting healthier lifestyles. Topics include family support, barriers to healthy living, and children’s involvement.
Participants will receive £50 for their time, and the session is scheduled for 6-8 PM on Thursday, August 22nd, via Zoom.
Eligibility:
Mothers with at least one child under 18 living at home.
At increased risk of breast cancer and have attended a family history clinic.
No personal experience of breast cancer.
If you’d like to take part in the session, or have any questions, please contact Issy McGregor.
Visit wearevocal.org
Manchester Mega Mela
Gazzala, Michelle and Jeff from the Answer Cancer Engagement Team attended the Manchester Mega Mela to share information about the importance of cancer screening.
1000’s of people from across Greater Manchester, the North West and further afield attended the event which provided an ideal opportunity to chat to people and get their commitment to attend for screening when invited.
If you would like the Engagement Team to attend your event or workplace in Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford or Bolton you can contact them to request a session using the button below.
Contact the Engagement Team
If you have any questions or queries please contact us using the link below.
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Engage with Voluntary Sector North West
As one of the four partners in Answer Cancer, Voluntary Sector North West supports the sector “to positively shape the future of the North West”.
If you are a VCFSE organisation interested in engaging with Voluntary Sector North West, we invite you to connect with us. You can join free of charge as either a full member or an associate member, or simply subscribe to our e-bulletin to receive the latest updates and insights about the sector. If you are interested in joining as a member, or would like to join our conference on the 14th November, just follow the links.