Category: Cancer

  • Zine Promotes Allyship for Trans+ Health

    Zine Promotes Allyship for Trans+ Health

    The Trans Aware Cancer Care community researchers have produced a zine, “A Guide for Allies to Improve Trans+ Access to Healthcare,” highlighting systemic barriers faced by trans+ individuals when accessing cancer services. It includes personal stories and art to promote allyship, emphasising the need for supportive healthcare professionals to ensure inclusive, affirming care.

  • Accessible Cancer Care: Lessons from Autistic Communities

    Accessible Cancer Care: Lessons from Autistic Communities

    Rosie Tansley and Katie Munday shared insights from their talk at Manchester Metropolitan University about improving cancer services for autistic individuals. The presentation highlighted community-based projects addressing accessibility, patient experiences, and necessary changes in care. Free tickets are available for the hybrid event on March 11th.

  • Trans Aware Cancer Care: Why Listening Saves Lives

    Trans Aware Cancer Care: Why Listening Saves Lives

    Trans+ individuals in the UK face significant barriers in accessing cancer care, leading to lower screening rates and heightened health risks. The Trans Aware Cancer Care project highlights personal stories, emphasising the need for systemic changes, including inclusive practices and staff education. Positive interactions can improve care experiences and outcomes significantly.

  • Inclusive Cancer Care: Voices of the Disabled Community

    Inclusive Cancer Care: Voices of the Disabled Community

    The project led by Rosie Tansley and Katie Munday focuses on making cancer care accessible for disabled and neurodivergent individuals. Through participatory methods, it identifies barriers such as inaccessible information and poor communication, while proposing solutions that prioritise empathy and inclusivity in healthcare. Meaningful changes are essential for effective support.

  • The Power of Kindness in Healthcare

    The Power of Kindness in Healthcare

    Kindness is a free yet scarce resource in healthcare, often hindered by systemic issues like staff exhaustion and bias. Sharing personal stories fosters empathy and connection, creating a sense of belonging. Community-driven research enriches understanding and advocacy, reminding us of the importance of kindness in sustaining human connection amidst challenges.

  • Transforming Cancer Care: Listening to Disabled Voices

    Transforming Cancer Care: Listening to Disabled Voices

    The project with Help and Care, Wessex Cancer Alliance, and Macmillan Cancer Support highlights the inequities disabled people face within cancer services. Participants shared distressing experiences showing systemic bias and barriers. The research emphasizes the importance of listening to these voices, advocating for dignity, and fostering empathy to ensure equitable treatment for all individuals in…

  • Transforming Cancer Services: Voices of the Neurodivergent

    Transforming Cancer Services: Voices of the Neurodivergent

    In 2023, the project “What I’d Like to Say” project examined the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent individuals with cancer services. Following the initial findings, phase two focused on solutions, gathering suggestions for improvement through discussions and art-based methods. A new screening project aims to enhance service experiences for marginalized communities.

  • 2024 in Review: Advocacy Work and Community Connections

    2024 in Review: Advocacy Work and Community Connections

    2024 was another very busy year for me and a very turbulent time for many of us worldwide. In the UK political violence towards transgender people, disabled people and other marginalised groups has continued to grow. The ban on puberty blockers for all transgender young people is the most recent attempt to bring us down.…

  • Improving Cancer Care for Trans+ Individuals

    Improving Cancer Care for Trans+ Individuals

    Trans Aware Cancer Care is concluding its initial phase, focusing on the experiences of trans+ individuals with cancer services. Participants created expressive squares to form a large trans flag, which will be showcased in hospitals. The project emphasizes the need for inclusivity, sensitivity, and normalizing pronoun sharing in healthcare practices to enhance trans+ patient experiences.

  • Autistic and living with cancer: What you need to know

    Autistic and living with cancer: What you need to know

    This piece was written with Dr.Char Goodwin who is the lead researcher for the Autistic Experiences of Breast Cancer research project, a three-year project funded by Breast Cancer Now. They are exploring the cumulative effects of autism-specific barriers to healthcare in relation to cancer care, directly from Autistic people themselves. Katie Munday (me!) has been…