Interested? Join the free event taking place on Thursday 6 October
BY ELEANOR NOYCE, IMAGE VIA PEXELS
A collaboration between Live Through This and North East London Cancer Alliance, a new LGBTQIA-inclusive Breast Cancer Screening Campaign – titled Best For My Chest – is launching on Thursday 6 October. Funded and collaboratively supported by the NHS, this project is placing inclusion at the heart of cancer campaigning.
Best For My Chest aims to revolutionise communication around Breast Cancer Screening, educating and informing the community on what to expect at a screening appointment and dispelling any fears or anxieties. Screening is critical for early detection – particularly over the age of 50 – and can identify early cases of cancer, leading to quicker and less intrusive treatment. It saves lives.
Sensing that many LGBTQIA people might feel disconnected from current cancer campaigns, Best For My Chest works with queer individuals to deliver this messaging in an eye-catching, inclusive campaign.
Want to learn more? Members of the LGBTQIA community in London are invited to a “first look” unveiling of the campaign in Shoreditch on Thursday 6 October. Coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, attendees will be able to meet the team at this free, community-based event.
Stewart O’Callaghan, CEO of Live Through This, states: “Breast cancer screening saves lives. But our community can face multiple barriers when trying to access this vital service. Whether they face issues with receiving an invitation, have fears about the appointment or just feel disconnected from the usual messaging and campaigns. That is why it is vital for our community to know that this service is for them, and they will be treated with respect when they use it.”
Without the NHS, the Best For My Chest campaign wouldn’t have been possible. Jake Chamber is a Project Manager at North East London Cancer Alliance, and emphasises the importance of this collaboration. “We are very excited to partner with Live Through This to launch this important campaign to improve the health outcomes of the LGBTIQ+ community. We know that breast cancer screening saves lives. We also know that people from the LGBTIQ+ community face many barriers when accessing healthcare and the pandemic has only served to exacerbate existing health inequalities.
“Breast cancer screening saves lives. But our community can face multiple barriers when trying to access this vital service. Whether they face issues with receiving an invitation, have fears about the appointment or just feel disconnected from the usual messaging and campaigns. That is why it is vital for our community to know that this service is for them, and they will be treated with respect when they use it.”
Interested? Tickets for Thursday’s event are free. Click here to nab yours.
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