Scheme aims to sign up 20,000 ‘cancer champions’ to save lives

Social Movement Project Lead Ben Gilchrist with cancer champions Zoe Ashworth and Gilly Morgan and Jon Rouse, Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership

A new army of champions will soon be stepping up the fight against cancer in Greater Manchester.

A social movement aims to sign up 20,000 ‘cancer champions’ who will use their experience, knowledge and passion to support those at risk of developing cancer and those recently diagnosed with the disease.

Cancer survival rates are improving across Greater Manchester. In 2000, the chance of surviving a year after diagnosis in Greater Manchester was 58 per cent. The gap has closed in recent years and the survival rate in 2013 stood at 69.9 per cent, just under the national average. The aim for Greater Manchester is to increase that rate to 75 per cent or higher by 2020.

Although survival rates are up, due to an ageing population the number of people being diagnosed with cancer in Greater Manchester is growing. In 2014, 14,500 people were diagnosed with cancer, compared with 13,600 in 2011. In 2013, 6,700 died from the disease.

Up to 40 per cent of cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes. Cancers that have been diagnosed at an early stage, before they have had the chance to get too big or spread, are more likely to be treated successfully. The new cancer champion project aims to help support people take charge of their own health and wellbeing, and help those with cancer get diagnosed and treated earlier.

The voluntary sector will play a crucial role in this scheme, which is being led by Greater Manchester Vanguard Innovation, part of Greater Manchester Cancer, the cancer programme of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, and is also jointly funded by NHS England.

The new cancer champions will get involved in their local communities. They will share messages that will help reduce adult smoking rates and other unhealthy behaviours that increase a person’s risk of getting cancer, prevent avoidable cancer deaths by encouraging people to take up cancer screening invitations or go to their GP if they have symptoms they are worried about. They will also get feedback from people to help improve patients’ experience of cancer treatment and care.

Cancer champion Gilbert Morgan, who was given the all-clear from prostate cancer in 2014, said: "It’s easy to get involved and it’s very rewarding to be able to help people look after themselves.

"I’ve been a cancer champion for a couple of years now and it’s a great way of raising people’s awareness because the people you are talking to know and trust you.

"You don’t need any skills, qualifications or any special knowledge of cancer to be a cancer champion. It’s about real people talking to real people, and it really does make a difference."

As a cancer champion, you can become involved in a very wide range of activities, including:

• Become a volunteer with a local community group to get more people talking about how to prevent cancer.
• Using your experiences to talk about cancer prevention, even just with friends and family.
• Visiting events and communities to find new ways to talk about cancer prevention

If you would like to get involved in and you want to help save lives, sign up by visiting:

www.vsnw.org.uk/cancer-matters-movement

It’s free, you can do it in your spare time and training opportunities will be made available.