Welcome to the June Answer Cancer update for 2025. As we head towards summer, hopefully, you’ll find helpful links, exciting news, and valuable information to brighten your month in this newsletter update.
As ever, if you want to share the work you are doing as an Answer Cancer Champion or Bee Seen, Get Screened pledger, get in touch and we will include it in the newsletter.
Newsletter Highlights
- Book onto our training sessions
- HPV vaccine and how it protects against cervical cancer
- Answer Cancer Champion David McCallion shortlisted for the 2025 GM Health and Care Champion Awards
- Men’s Health Week
- Cervical Screening Awareness Week
- June is Pride month
- Who has signed up to Bee Seen, Get Screened
Upcoming Training & Events
Free training sessions from Answer Cancer, the Greater Manchester Cancer Screening Engagement Programme! Different dates and times are available to suit you. We are now offering training through a mixture of online and face-to-face sessions, so please make note when signing up!
You need to register in advance to attend the sessions, but you can join as many sessions as you like. For a list of courses and register, please click here.
HPV vaccine and how it protects against cervical cancer
Around 3,300 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK every year. Research has shown that the HPV vaccine, combined with cervical screening, can bring that number right down.
However, the percentages of eligible people receiving an HPV vaccine and attending screening have both fallen in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
Although this research shows that the HPV vaccine is preventing cervical cancer in all socioeconomic groups, rates are still higher in people from deprived backgrounds.
You can find out more about the HPV vaccine in some great new videos available in English, Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, Bangla, Punjabi, Somali, Polish, Romanian, French and Spanish.
Find out more
Answer Cancer Champion David McCallion shortlisted for the 2025 GM Health and Care Champion Awards
We are delighted to announce that our nominee for the 2025 GM Health and Care Champion Awards, David McCallion has been shortlisted in the volunteer champion category. An expert panel made up of fifty colleagues from across the health and care system drew up the shortlist from over 700 nominations this year. You can see the full shortlist here. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in July at The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester where David will join with others to celebrate the fantastic work taking place in health and care across Greater Manchester.
David is a passionate Answer Cancer Champion whose advocacy has significantly shaped public awareness of male breast cancer. Diagnosed with the disease in 2019, David used his background in community engagement to speak candidly about his personal journey. He was especially motivated to raise awareness about the BRCA2 gene after discovering he carried it in 2020, and was alarmed by how few men knew about the associated risks. His tireless efforts include participating in media interviews, speaking at events, running workshops, making podcasts and videos, and working with leading cancer support organisations. Through his outreach, David has encouraged thousands to seek early diagnosis and share life-saving information within their own communities.
Even while living with stage 4 breast cancer, David continues his mission with unwavering resolve. Though unable to take part in typical fundraising activities, such as fun runs and parachute jumps, he channels his energy into education and advocacy, ensuring that no man faces the same isolation he once did. His personal experience of loneliness and the loss of friendships only deepened his commitment to support others. David’s story underscores the profound impact one individual can have by sharing their lived experience. He has created a ripple effect of awareness that has saved lives, influenced healthcare practices, and fostered a more informed and compassionate community. His legacy is one of resilience, purpose, and enduring influence, and we are so proud that David has been shortlisted for this award.
See the full shortlist
Men’s Health Week
June 9th to the 15th is Men’s Health Week, a great time to remind men about bowel screening. Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance have released a new video about how to complete the FIT kit. Just a tiny sample of poo can detect signs of cancer before anything is noticeably wrong. Encourage people to watch this video if they are routinely sent a kit through the post or if they are given one by their GP because they have some symptoms. Watch the video to see what to do next.
View the video
Cervical Screening Awareness Week
The 19th to the 24th of June 2025 is Cervical Screening Awareness Week in the UK. Answer Cancer has prepared campaign materials, which they will be putting out across our social media platforms throughout the week.
We are encouraging people to use these materials in internal communications, with service users and employees, on in-house TV screens and big screens. If you would like to be sent the full set of slides or need any further information about the campaign, please feel free to contact us at info@answercancergm.org.uk
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June is Pride monthGreater Manchester Cancer Alliance and OUTpatients, the UK’s only LGBTIQ+ cancer charity have produced a ‘Cervical Cancer – Remove the Doubt’ campaign to mark Pride month. OUTpatients are proudly led by and represent LGBTIQ+ people affected by cancer. They work hard to support and advocate for the LGBTIQ+ community. Answer Cancer will be sharing the ‘Cervical Cancer – Remove the Doubt’ campaign on social media. Please like and share to amplify the message. Access the resources |
Who has signed up to Bee Seen, Get Screened
Watergrove Trust are the first Education Trust to sign up to the Answer Cancer Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge. The Watergrove Trust comprises nine schools, six primary and three secondary, across Rochdale. Their 987 staff will now be able to request time off to attend cancer screening appointments if they can’t secure one outside of working hours. They will also talk about cancer screening in their workplace, and hopefully, the positive Answer Cancer messages we share with them will spread across the wider school community.
Why not ask your local school to take the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge. Sign up is free, quick and easy.
PLEDGE HERE
If you have any questions or queries please contact us using the link below.
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Engage with Voluntary Sector North West
As one of the four partners in Answer Cancer, Voluntary Sector North West supports the sector “to positively shape the future of the North West”.
If you are a VCFSE organisation interested in engaging with Voluntary Sector North West, we invite you to connect with us. You can join free of charge as either a full member or an associate member, or simply subscribe to our e-bulletin to receive the latest updates and insights about the sector. If you are interested in joining as a member, or would like to join our conference on the 14th November, just follow the links.