April so far has been anything but showery. We are hoping that the spring vibes will encourage you to take up some new training opportunities, plunge into some interesting research options and look at some great new videos.
As ever, if you want to share the work you are doing as an Answer Cancer Champion or Bee Seen, Get Screened pledger, get in touch and we will include it in the newsletter.
Newsletter Highlights
- • Book onto our training sessions
• Bee Seen Get Screened – Talking about the unthinkable
• Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
• Answer Cancer round 7 grants
• ‘My Friend Has Cancer’ audio story
• Help shape a breast cancer awareness campaign
• Answer Cancer Stakeholder Collaborative February 2025
• Do you know the symptoms of bladder cancer?
• Can you help with a study for women who attend breast screening?
• Learn more about the HPV virus
• Cervical screening information videos for people with a learning disability, autism, and their support
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.
Bee Seen Get Screened – Talking about the Unthinkable
Answer Cancer Project Coordinator Jacqui Naraynsingh has written a blog post about how employers can demonstrate their true commitment to staff health and wellbeing whilst improving staff retention, improving productivity, and saving money.
Read Blog Post
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
April is bowel cancer awareness month. Answer Cancer is running a campaign on social media throughout the month, so don’t forget to like and share our messages.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and can affect anyone. It’s treatable and curable if discovered early. Tell everyone you know that it only takes a few minutes to complete a test at home. Don’t wait for symptoms, detect anything unusual, earlier, with screening.
Answer Cancer Round 7 Grant
Answer Cancer will be sharing messages across our social media platforms throughout January about the importance of cervical screening in preventing cervical cancer.
Please like and share our messages wherever you see them to ensure they reach as many people as possible.
The CRUK video, Should I Go for Cervical Screening, has clear information for anyone who would like to know more about the screening process.
Apply Here
‘My Friend Has Cancer’ Audio Story
‘My Friend Has Cancer’ is a Made By Mortals production co-produced by Greater Manchester Cancer Patient Representatives. Everything in the audio story and resource, including the wonderful music, has been co-created by ‘real people’ living with cancer. They have shared their lived experience, imaginations, and creativity to help others. We hope it gives you strength, knowledge, and most of all hope.
Listen to the Story
Greater Manchester Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
Stakeholders Collaborative February 2025
Our last Stakeholder Collaborative was on the 12th of February in Salford, with over 70 attendees from different parts of Greater Manchester.
Speakers included Jessie Coa, a clinical research fellow sharing new innovative information about the new cervical testing from home.
Anita Kanji, the wellbeing leader from Manchester Deaf Centre sharing the great ways Cancer awareness is shared within the deaf community.
Nova Martin (CSIL) sharing information about the GM Bowel Cancer screening programmes in the Pennine and Bolton area.
Rachel Hart the Deputy Clinical Director from the NHS Northwest Genomic Medicine Service Alliance sharing information about making cancer gene testing part of routine cancer patient care, by integrating testing into the cancer patient pathway.
The event also included networking stalls form organizations such as NESTAC, Being There, NHS Genomic Services, Cervical new testing, BHA & the NHS Bolton Bowel Screening.
The event included group activities on how Answer Cancer can do better and finding out groups biggest achievement with Answer Cancer.
The Stakeholder events is a great face to face event and allows ample networking opportunities with organisations around Manchester with the same goal, of increasing cancer screening rates where community uptake is low.
Our next Stakeholders event is scheduled for May so keep your eyes peeled for the date on our social media channels.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Yet it is still not widely recognised as a common cancer. The main symptoms include blood in the urine (even if only once), an urgent or frequent need to urinate, and pain or discomfort in the pelvic area. May is bladder cancer awareness month, and Action Bladder Cancer UK (ABC UK) want everyone to raise awareness of the symptoms of bladder cancer.
Jeannie Rigby, Action Bladder Cancer UK CEO says: “Recognising the symptoms of bladder cancer is key to early diagnosis. Unfortunately, some cases can be diagnosed late, leading to worse outcomes. Bladder cancer can be overlooked, particularly in women, where symptoms can be confused with urinary tract infections or gynaecological issues. It’s important to never ignore blood in your urine. Be aware of the signs and visit your GP if you have any concerns”.
Find out more
Can you help researchers recruit to an interview study for women who attend breast screening?
Please share the above information with your contacts, networks, employees, service users etc.
Learn more about the HPV virus
Check out these great resources explaining the HPV virus and its link to cervical screening in English. More languages will follow soon, including Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, Bangla, Punjabi, Somali, Polish, Romanian, French and Spanish.
View Video
Cervical screening information videos for people with a learning disability, autism, or their support
This set of new videos cover what to expect from a smear test and include booking an appointment, getting ready, what happens at a smear test and getting your results. You can check them out on the Answer Cancer YouTube channel.
Visit Answer Cancer’s YouTube Channel
The series also has top tips for professionals booking or carrying out a smear test for someone with a learning disability or autism. Check it out using the button below.
View professionals Video
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.