Cancer Awareness Connect (2)
BME Network – Cancer Awareness and Early Diagnosis Project
The Cancer Awareness and Early Diagnosis Project is led by the BME Network CIC in partnership with CVFM Radio, members of the Middlesbrough Diverse Community Forum, and is supported by Public Health South Tees and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The project is funded by Northern Cancer Alliance and focuses on reducing health inequalities across the Tees Valley.
This 12-month initiative works with ethnically diverse and underserved communities to raise awareness of five specific cancers – lung, head and neck, bladder, pancreatic, and bowel – which are often diagnosed late. By promoting earlier recognition of symptoms and increasing confidence in NHS screening and support services, the project aims to improve outcomes and save lives.
We are using a wide range of approaches to reach local people. These include multilingual community radio campaigns, podcasts featuring health professionals and community voices, large banners at community and faith venues, and short social media videos tailored for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. In addition, 20 Community Champions are being trained to have everyday conversations about cancer with peers, friends, and family.
Together with our partners, we are building trust, encouraging early action, and making cancer awareness part of daily community life.
Cancer is still a subject that many people feel too afraid to talk about. For some it is linked to fear, for others it is linked to stigma. This silence often means people put off going for a check or ignore early warning signs. Cancer Connect is a new podcast and project created to change that. Its aim is to open up honest conversations, share real stories and encourage people to get checked as early as possible.
The first episode features a conversation between host Idrees Rashid and Mr Jonathan Ferguson, Consultant Surgeon and Cancer Lead at South Tees NHS Trust. Jonathan, originally from Belfast, has worked in Teesside since 2007. He specialises in treating patients with lung cancer and also leads work in the hospital to raise awareness and improve services. He strongly believes that patients should be welcomed with open arms and never made to feel judged.
During the discussion Jonathan explained how mobile CT scanners placed in supermarket car parks are already saving lives. These vans allow people to be scanned quickly and easily, often before they have any symptoms. In the past, 80 percent of lung cancer patients were diagnosed at a stage when it was too late to cure. Thanks to these checks, the numbers are now reversing and many more patients are being diagnosed early enough to receive treatment and recover.
The conversation also covered cervical cancer, smoking and vaping. Jonathan spoke about the challenges of reaching different communities and how important it is to encourage women to attend their smear tests. He also shared positive stories about mothers who gave up smoking during pregnancy and the difference it made for both their own health and their babies.
Jonathan highlighted some new and creative ways to make cancer education easier. One example is the use of Minecraft to help children understand cancer and talk about it at home with their families. Another was the Ruth Strauss Foundation which is using cricket to support families facing cancer and bereavement.
His message was clear. Finding cancer early is often harder than treating it, but it saves lives. Talking more openly, supporting family and friends, and encouraging each other to attend check ups can make all the difference.
Cancer Connect is more than a podcast. It is a safe space to learn, to share, and to bring communities together around an issue that touches everyone.