Newham has one of the lowest cancer survival rate in the UK, with almost four in 10 cancer patients dying within 12 months of being diagnosed.
According to a report, by Macmillan cancer support, one reason for this is that in boroughs such as Newham, once a patient has been referred by their GP, too much time passes before treatment starts.
So it’s important that Rising East highlights the cancer support that is available.
The Newham charity Community Links runs a series of cancer awareness projects which aim to make sure that more women spot the signs of breast cancer early on. This is particularly relevant given a 2010 Kings College survey in Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets that found that Asian women were less aware of how to check for breast cancer, and less likely to see a doctor about it.
The borough also has its own Newham Cancer Support Group (CYANA) which offers support and advice. Macmillan cancer support also runs a branch at the Newham University Hospital
After talking to a few members of CYANA I was left with the impression that doctors don’t always find time to tell their patients and their families about what support is available. The support services need to distribute more leaflets around hospitals and GP surgeries, and to make sure they keep them topped up!
One Macmillan representative I spoke to told me that there are over a hundred support groups available in East London, several of them in Newham, and that they cater for all ethnicities and backgrounds. The problem is not that the lack of available support; but what there is, can be very hard to find.