The "Cancer does not discriminate", campaign arrived in Nottingham on the 19th September. The campaign was developed by the National Cancer Action Team, in recognition of:
- Low levels of cancer awareness amongst people of BME origin;
- Lower levels of cancer screening up-take by people of BME origin; and
- Higher cancer incidence levels of liver cancer (African and African Caribbean men and women), cervical cancer (Asian women over 65), stomach cancer (African and African Caribbean men and women), prostate cancer (African and African Caribbean men) and mouth cancers (Asian women)
The campaign was supported locally by BME Cancer Communities and the Muslim Directory. The Aims of the campaign were to:
- Promote a better understanding of the early signs and symptoms of cancer amongst BME communities living in England;
- Increase the awareness of the national cancer screening programmes amongst people from BME communities living in England;
- Dispel many of the myths and misconceptions held by the Irish, Asian and African, and African Caribbean communities around cancer; and
- Provide positive examples of people of BME origin surviving cancer.
The campaign, an initial pilot focused on 5 areas: Nottingham, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. It came to Nottingham on the 19th September with activities taking place from the 20th September to the 25th October. During this time, targeted health supplements will were made available for the Asian, Irish and African and African Caribbean communities in Nottingham, located in food shops, hairdressers, libraries, churches, temples and mosques, as well as GP surgeries and NHS walk-in centres.
A health information stall provided health awareness information bags. Small grants are also made available to local community organisations and groups to enable them to put on their own awareness events.