North East London Cancer Alliance strengthens community partnerships at Sakoon Through Cancer Roti Club

The North East London Cancer Alliance (NELCA) recently attended the Sakoon Through Cancer Roti Club at Kismet Café in Whitechapel, a community event sponsored by Breast Cancer Now that brought together people affected by cancer, healthcare organisations and community leaders to share experiences, build connections and improve cancer awareness.

The event provided a welcoming and supportive space for meaningful conversations around cancer prevention, early diagnosis and the importance of culturally appropriate support within local communities.

Throughout the afternoon, the NELCA team spoke with attendees about cancer awareness and made several valuable connections that will support future community engagement. Discussions focused on opportunities to deliver cervical screening and HPV awareness sessions, helping to encourage informed conversations and improve access to life-saving information within local communities.

The event also created opportunities to strengthen partnerships with organisations working to reduce cancer inequalities. Representatives from Breast Cancer Now shared details of an upcoming pilot programme for healthcare professionals across North East London, designed to improve cancer awareness through educational resources, interactive workbooks and engagement tools that can be used in community settings. NELCA looks forward to supporting the promotion of this initiative once further information becomes available.

In addition, the team met community advocate Zainab, who is delivering cancer awareness activities through funding from Macmillan Cancer Support. Discussions explored opportunities to collaborate at future community events and deliver cervical screening and HPV awareness sessions to local residents.

Sherrice Weekes, Project Manager at North East London Cancer Alliance, said:

"Building relationships with trusted community organisations is essential to reducing cancer inequalities across North East London. Events like the Sakoon Through Cancer Roti Club allow us to meet people where they are, have open conversations about cancer prevention and screening, and develop partnerships that help us reach communities with information that is relevant, accessible and culturally sensitive. We're excited about the opportunities these new connections will bring and look forward to working together to improve cancer awareness across our communities."

Community partnerships remain at the heart of NELCA's prevention work. By collaborating with local organisations and community leaders, the Alliance continues to expand opportunities for people to access trusted information about cancer prevention, screening and early diagnosis, helping to improve outcomes for communities across North East London.