Coffee morning at Sandwell Council House connects community
A special coffee morning celebration has marked the launch of a new team to help tackle inequality in cancer care across the Black Country and West Birmingham.
Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual coffee morning fundraising event was held on Friday at Sandwell Council House. It officially launched the Community Connectors – a new Macmillan funded team that will tackle the poor cancer experiences and outcomes that can affect people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
The project brings together a partnership between Macmillan and the Bangladesh Islamic Association Smethwick, the Nishkam Civic Association, West Bromwich African Caribbean Resource Centre, Yemeni Community Association in Sandwell and the Black Country Integrated Care Board.
It aims to better understand the barriers that exist to people finding and accessing support, and to increase people’s knowledge of cancer symptoms – all to help shape services that better meet peoples’ individual needs.
The project is part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s wider efforts to tackle the fact that people from ethnically diverse backgrounds are significantly more likely to report poorer overall experiences of their cancer care.
Jessica Timmins, Macmillan partnership manager said: “It is a privilege to be part of this partnership, working within the communities Macmillan is here to serve to make sure that everyone, no matter who you are or where you live, can get the cancer information, support and care they need.”
The mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Syeda Khatun MBE, who hosted the event said: “I am truly honoured to host this important event as it is a subject close to my heart.
"People on a cancer journey and their families have enough to deal with without also encountering barriers to information and support.”
For information on cancer, support or just someone to talk to, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk.
