National Lottery Award for dancer who helps cancer patients with dance
By Sharin Hussain
toby@slpmedia.co.uk
An inspirational community dancer who helps cancer patients through dance has won a National Lottery Award presented by a former Strictly Come Dancing judge.
Dame Arlene Phillips awarded the Art, Film and Culture category to Emily Jenkins, 32, at Maggie’s Barts in London last month.
Ms Jenkins, who moved from Brixton to Nottingham during the pandemic, works with women affected by cancer in London and Bristol.
Ms Jenkins said: “It feels amazing and somewhat unreal. This award marks a significant milestone, and to have received it in the fifth year of Move, Dance Feel activity is very special.”
Ms  Jenkins launched Move, Dance Feel in 2016 to bridge the gap in cancer care services.
She offers free weekly dance sessions to women living with and beyond cancer, including those who are supporting someone with cancer or bereaved by cancer.
She works in partnership with leading cancer support centres to incorporate dance into their care programmes, and she currently holds sessions for Move, Dance Feel at Paul’s Cancer Centre in Wandsworth.
Ms Jenkins was able to present Move, Dance Feel research findings around the world and is a Dance for Health committee member for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science.
Ms Jenkins said: “I had a strong instinct that dance could be beneficial in the context of cancer diagnosis and recovery, and after doing some initial research I founded Move, Dance Feel to explore its potential.
“The main purpose was to try and plug a gap in cancer care services, offering holistic and ongoing support to women with any type of cancer, at any stage – pre, during or post-treatment.
The idea was to build a creative and caring community, and to provide a space in which women could reconnect with the body through play and joyful activity.”
Dancer  and choreographer Dame Arlene said: “To see Emily get this award is so important because what she is doing through dance for the well-being of people living with cancer and beyond is enormous.
“Through National Lottery funding it has meant that she has been able to keep this initiative going for five years and it needs to continue.
“The more money raised from Emily winning this award is vital for Move, Dance Feel.”
Ms Jenkins received two grants of National Lottery funding from the Arts Council England totalling ÂŁ29,891.
The National Lottery funding she received during the pandemic helped her  continue the development of the online  programme which had given access to women everywhere and led to an increase in engagement of 416 per cent.
On her future plans, she said: “I am about to deliver the UK’s first ever Dance in Cancer Care: Introductory Training programme, as a way to develop a network of advocates for this work.
“I’m also hoping that the publicity surrounding this award will result in a larger platform for disseminating our research findings, helping me to raise more awareness about the physical, mental and social health benefits of dance in this context.”
The National Lottery Awards recognises individuals from sectors such as sport, community charity, heritage, young hero and art, film and culture.
Pictured: Dame Arlene Phillips awards the Art, Film and Culture category to Emily Jenkins
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