Campaign built on voices of black communities experience with cancer wins major award
A campaign built on the voices of black communities to increase early breast and prostate cancer detection has received a special award.
The NHS South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) won NHS Communications Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Awards ceremony in Battersea last week.
The event celebrated teams from the UK’s health and social care sector and their ongoing efforts to reduce health inequalities.
Working in partnership with health advocates and patients, SELCA and the Multicultural Marketing Consultancy (MMC) developed a campaign to encourage black women aged 50 to 71 years old, to attend their breast screening appointment and black men aged 45 and over to talk to their GP about having a PSA blood test.
Southwark resident Philomena Ofodu agreed to front the campaign after completing her breast cancer treatment in 2022.
The 53-year-old received her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2021 after attending her breast screening appointment.
She said: “Attending my breast screening appointment saved my life.
“Prioritising your health is a powerful statement of self-love and responsibility. Make that appointment, not just for your peace of mind, but for the peace of mind of those who care about you.”
Across two years, SLECA and MMC undertook interviews and focus groups with the Black African and Caribbean community, to understand their attitudes and behaviours towards accessing healthcare.
The resulting campaign included billboard advertising, social media, radio partnerships and community engagement led by advocates.
The initiative was launched after data revealed that one in 12 black men will die from prostate cancer compared to one in 24 white men, whilst black women are twice as likely to receive a later staged breast cancer diagnosis.
Dr Jonathan Noël, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, who took part in the campaign said: “With more than a quarter of our population in South East London being from black communities, it’s vital we address these alarming cancer statistics.
“Early detection remains the most crucial factor in improving cancer outcomes, and we encourage everyone to take proactive steps towards their health.”
The HSJ awards received 1351 entries across 26 categories, with 235 nominees making it to the final shortlist, following two rounds of rigorous judging.
The judges were impressed by SELCA and MMC’s understanding of community voice as well as their culturally aware approaches to address health disparities.
The campaign has also been hugely successful, with early data suggesting increased breast screening coverage for black women in South East London, as well as an increase in suspected prostate cancer referrals for Black men.
To find out more about the campaign visit: https://www.selca.nhs.uk/
Pictured top: Philomena Ofodu joins SELCA and MMC staff on stage to accept the NHS Communications Initiative of the Year award last week (Picture: SELCA)