Improving cancer treatment through learning
26 February 2009
The Bromley by Bow Centre has launched two more health information packs for people who are learning English. Funded by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust, these resources will help to promote cancer prevention in Tower Hamlets and beyond.
The new packs are titled "Cervical Screening" and "Getting the right treatment". They are designed to be used by ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutors, to help their students understand the importance of recognising symptoms and seeking early treatment.
Launched on Tuesday in front of an audience of more than 50 ESOL tutors, public health officials, and other interested parties, these packs join "Smoking Cessation" and "Breast Screening", which we launched last autumn. Two more packs will become available in a few months' time.
Kay Eilbert, Senior Public Health Strategist at Tower Hamlets PCT, was also at the launch. She explained that recognising the symptoms and what to do next are key to cancer prevention. However, particular groups in the community have low cancer screening rates - including people from ethnic minority backgrounds who do not speak English as their first language. Consequently, Tower Hamlets and other Inner London areas have a low uptake of cancer screening. This is why the PCT and the Centre are working together on this project.
The Bromley by Bow Centre is an exemplar Healthy Living Centre, and has a reputation for its creative and innovative approach to health care. We are delighted to be working with the PCT in this way to help improve cancer treatment in Bromley by Bow and beyond.
The packs are designed to be used as teaching resources in ESOL classes. Each pack contains a DVD, teaching notes, and booklets for students, and free copies are being made available for ESOL tutors. As they are funded by the PCT, most of these are for distribution in Tower Hamlets, but we can provide some to ESOL tutors based elsewhere.
The packs were written by Linda Haslam, an experience ESOL tutor, with illustrations by Janet Pavone. They were designed by Lekker Design.
If you would like to order these packs, please contact Shahanara Begum, Skills for Life Programme Manager, on 020 8709 9739, or shahanara@bbbc.org.uk
The packs available are:
Breast Screening
Smoking Cessation
Cervical Screening
Getting the Right Treatment
