Prison project aims to save lives through early cancer detection

Earlier this year the team held a wellbeing session at the prison, alongside this, staff and prisoners have attended the Cancer Champion cancer awareness training that Lingen Davies deliver in the community.

The team has now delivered several sessions to prisoners at the prison to help raise awareness of the signs of cancer to aid prisoners and their families. Many of those being trained are Stoke Heath’s Health and Wellbeing Champions (HAWC).

Stoke Heath prison says it takes pride in its Health and Wellbeing Champion scheme. The HAWCs are trained by Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust to support the healthcare team and their peers with health-related concerns and the overall wellbeing of other prisoners.

They have become embedded across the establishment and the success of the scheme has been recognised by the prison’s senior management team and external parties, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The Lingen Davies LiveLife team has been working with the HAWC’s in light of their health and wellbeing responsibilities. The aim of this work is to support and understand the barriers prisoners may have when it comes to talking about, discussing or seeking help for any cancer symptoms.  This work is important in supporting the overall rehabilitation of prisoners in preparation for their release from custody.

The project has been supported by Mark Greenhaf, Governor of Stoke Heath Prison and Nigel Robb, Head of Rehabilitation.

Stoke Heath staff and prisoners have also raised over £1400 for Lingen Davies from football competitions and other sponsored events with prisoners donating their own earnings to the total.

Miranda Ashwell, LiveLife lead, said: “We have a great relationship with Stoke Heath prison and are really pleased that we have been able to deliver so many sessions. To date, the project has trained and supports over 350 Cancer Champions in across Shropshire and Telford and 600 including Powys, with 21 prisoners and 5 prison officers from HMP Stoke Heath itself.”

Mark Greenhaf, Governor of Stoke Heath, said: “We take the wellbeing of our staff and the prisoners very seriously. The development of the HAWC project through Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust is a real success. It has ensured trained prisoners strengthen our overall wellbeing and health offer across the board and to help educate and support their peers. The Cancer Champions project has not only proved popular but successful.

“I know from feedback, that prison staff and prisoners have really benefitted from this initiative, it has and helped to open up the conversation around cancer symptoms and what to do about it.

“We are proud to support the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund with this donation raised to help them deliver projects such as this in the community, which are ultimately helping save lives through early detection.”