What I’d like to Say…

In 2023, we released our findings for ‘What I’d Like to Say’, the initial findings of a community research project exploring disabled and neurodivergent peoples experiences with cancer services. This first phase involved collaborating with local support organisations to understand the challenges faced, such as physical inaccessibility to screenings, unclear information, and the lack of emotional support (see more information on the process and what we found here).

What I’d like to Change

In phase two, titled ‘What I’d Like to Change’, our focus shifted to solutions—returning to the groups from phase one to explore what changes could enhance their experiences in the future. Guided by myself and Rosie Tansley, our research team presented the key themes from phase one and used art-based research methods to facilitate discussions about what effective cancer care for disabled and neurodivergent people should entail.

The suggestions we received from participants are innovative, impactful, and have the potential to create significant improvements. The outcome of these discussions is a report filled with invaluable insights that can now be leveraged to drive change, establish best practice, and foster both cultural and systemic transformation.

You can access our report in various formats, including large print and audio, here.

What’s next?

We have started a new screening project with a mammography team in a Hampshire hospital. We will utilise the insights we’ve collected previously, and through additional focus groups, to ensure a better service experience for both disabled, neurodivergent and trans people, and people who live at these intersections.

More on the next steps here.