Raising awareness of breast cancer and screening with the Romanian community in Barnet
A guest blog from The Romanian and Eastern European Hub
According to Cancer Research, Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and it makes up 30% of all new cancer cases in women. Unfortunately, women, especially those in minoritised communities, often face multiple barriers to accessing information and early support.
October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in support of this, The Romanian and Eastern European Hub (Ro-EE Hub) hosted a Cancer Awareness event for the Romanian community in Barnet. The event was attended by Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust breast screening practitioners who talked to participants about breast checks, screening eligibility, and ways to book an appointment.
CB, a Romanian Barnet resident who attended, said: “I'm glad I took part in this event. The health professionals have provided me with a lot of useful information about cancer symptoms and screening, and I am now more aware of cancer symptoms and where to go for professional assistance. These types of events are essential in my opinion, especially for those of us who struggle with English as they support us with socialising and gaining valuable information and support in our own language.”
The Ro-EE Hub event is a positive example of the way that led-by and for community groups are bridging gaps between under-represented communities and statutory services by fostering trust in the communities they serve, using their lived experience and knowledge to design projects that support community needs, and building strong professional networks.
In October, Ro-EE Hub also hosted an online webinar in Romanian to raise awareness in the community of NHS maternal vaccinations. Watch the webinar via the links below:
Facebook: bit.ly/4dxQqND
YouTube: bit.ly/4eraKl6
To find out more about the work of The Romanian and Eastern European Hub and their activities, please visit their website by accessing the link below:
Find out about cancer screening programmes and support available in Barnet: yourhealthbarnet.org/canceraware