CancerLearn - Members share their real frustrations

Members Leanne and Michael joined Elizabeth, and Helen at the first in person CancerLearn meeting on July 1st.

🤝Bringing everyone possible to University of Surrey to discuss Surrey based initiatives looking at healthcare approaches to improve routine health checks or medical appointments for adults with learning disability, reviewing these and providing feedback, was insightful and invaluable.

🗣️Members of the group talked about what has worked successfully for them with reasonable adjustments, changes, adaptations and new approaches to improve their experience, which encourage attending appointments.

🗣️Many shared frustrations and expressed surprise there are so many variations just across the county, Learning Disability Nurses were not known by some residents or their family carers, others could name their individual nurse.

✨Great to have this time together to provide open dialogue directly from those who could tell their story and from advocates of others too.

👏🏼Thank you to Anna Cox Georgia Black Robert Kerrison Natalie Gil, PhD. Lizzie Merrill Hannah Drysdale for inviting Helen to bring people with learning disability from Active Prospects UK and Pro-Active Community members.

✨Facilitating the conversation across this group and hearing insights from Scott Watkin BEM Alix Lewer Elizabeth, Leanne, Michael, Lucia and Wendy has brought real information to shape future ideas to tackle the appalling inequity in not only recognising cancer symptoms but diagnosis, treatment and aftercare.