To say my experience yesterday was phenomenal may be an understatement.
Myself and colleagues from Help and Care, Macmillan Cancer Support , and the NHS went to the Houses of Parliament.
We spoke at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer about the findings from our What I Would Like to Say project.
We talked about inequity and inequality in cancer services for Disabled people.
We spoke about the stigma which so many of us face when we reach out for help.
We spoke about those who get ignored or feel like they can’t ask for help.
We spoke about inaccessible machinery, confusing jargon, information sharing and miscommunication.
We spoke about what good practice looks like.
We spoke about how we need non-disabled allies in and out of the NHS who can stop the stigma which causes so many of us to skip scans, ignore symptoms, and become completely isolated.
We listened to the stories of our attendees.
We listened to ideas of others good practice.
We discussed what could happen next. What should happen next.
It was a powerful discussion which I hope will ripple into something useful. Something meaningful.
Whatever it takes.
Followed by a slim, white, brown haired Rosie, me a white large person with short hair and glasses. At the centre of the horse shoe is Delyth, a short white woman with dark hair and glasses. To her side is Stewart, a tall white person covered in tattoos, to their side is Hayley, a blonde haired woman.
We are sat in room in the Houses of Parliament, with dark wood panelling and dark wooden furniture. There is an projector for slides and other bits of tech scattered about.]
2 responses to “What I Would Like to Say – at the APPGC”
Amazing! What an opportunity, and what an experience. These things really do create change, even if it’s incremental. Well done 🙂
Thank you – sometimes it’s hard to know if it’s making a difference but we carry on.