More than 150 Cancer Champions sign up to new project
Leaders of a county-wide health project to raise awareness about cancer are celebrating after recruiting more than 150 volunteers.
The Cancer Champions project was launched last year as part of a move by NHS England to address health inequalities. The Core 20+ work to improve the situation for those living in and amongst the country’s most deprived areas was adopted by NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin to address the uptake of cancer screening invitations.
The local health board chose Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, the region’s primary cancer charity, and Qube, an Oswestry-based community charity, to deliver the work in the county. To date 157 volunteers have been recruited and trained to act as Cancer Champions in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Their role is to engage in conversations about health and cancer among their peers, helping to normalise cancer conversations, and work towards encouraging people to take up health screenings – a vital part of the fight to catch cancer early and bring about the best options for treatment and overall outcomes.
The Cancer Champions team have been delivering training sessions in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin since December 2022 and have worked with representatives from numerous communities and business organisations across the region.
Tracey Jones, Lead for Health Inequalities and LTP Prevention from NHS Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, said: “The Cancer Champions project is an important part of our ongoing work to tackle inequalities and encourage people from all communities to talk about cancer. The support we have received from members of the community across the county is incredibly valuable and has a real impact on the health and wellbeing of local people.”
Emma Backhouse, Acting CEO for Lingen Davies, said: “We are overwhelmed at the number of people eager to talk to us about becoming Cancer Champions and taking their knowledge, skills and training back into use in their own communities.
“The Cancer Champions project is about encouraging people to talk, to bring cancer into everyday conversation. Cancer conversations save lives,” she added.
Kim Wootton, CEO for Qube, said: “Qube is delighted by the success of the Cancer Champions project and how amazing the uptake has been from so many communities within Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin. Knowing that so many more people are out there banging the drum about the signs and symptoms of cancer and how to access the support of the health services, including cancer screening, is fantastic. Being a part of the campaign to raise this awareness is exceptionally fulfilling!”
