You Need To Know campaign shortlisted for an award

We are delighted that our ‘You Need to Know’ campaign has been selected as a finalist at the PM Society Awards 2024 in the category of Diversity & Inclusion in Creative Communications.

The award ceremony will be held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House on Friday 15 March 2024 at 12pm.

The campaign, now celebrating its first birthday, is in partnership with The Eve Appeal, a leading UK charity raising awareness of, and funding research for, gynaecological cancers, and is supported by communications agency AKT Health.

The aim is to increase awareness of womb cancer amongst Black African, Black Caribbean and South Asian women in North East London.

Alex Lawrence, Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Barts Health NHS Trust, says: “We are so pleased that this campaign has been shortlisted and we hope that it will help us reach even more women to raise awareness of the main symptom of womb cancer, which is bleeding after the menopause.

“If you do have this symptom, you should contact your doctor immediately. It’s unlikely to be anything serious. If we do find cancer, then the earlier it’s treated, the more successful treatment is.”

Engaging with local people

The campaign launched on the 31 January 2023 and, as well as videos and social media advertising, has included dedicated focus groups across north east London.

We have hosted 10 in total, reaching 227 local people with key information about womb cancer, helping to answer questions, dispel myths and change minds.

Karen Hobbs, Advocacy and Media Consultant for Eve Appeal provides further insight to what we have achieved so far. She says:

“It's been an absolute pleasure to facilitate the group sessions for You Need To Know, which has been one of the most rewarding projects that I've worked on to date. 

Important health messaging is often 'put out there' via websites, social media, TV adverts, newspapers and magazines etc. in the hope that it will reach the right people and we often aren't able to monitor the impact being made.

Through the hard work and targeted approach by the North East London Cancer Alliance, we've been able to deliver key information about womb cancer to 227 Black and Asian women in a variety of face-to-face settings.

From community groups to libraries, GP surgeries to places of worship, the You Need To Know sessions were adapted to fit the needs of each audience, including co-presenting with a translator when needed. 

Depending on someone's age, culture and belief system, there are often myths and a level of stigma surrounding the subject of gynaecological cancer. Whilst our priority is to share accurate health information, it's also important to respect the environment we are walking into to deliver said information.

No two sessions were the same, yet everyone was incredibly welcoming and the conversations that were opened up, and the questions that were asked really highlighted the need for You Need To Know to exist. 

A special shout out to Harjeet Dhanota, Project Officer for the North East London Cancer Alliance. I couldn't have asked for a better teammate! Her organisation and communication skills are incredible. All I had to do was deliver the sessions and everything else behind the scenes was taken care of.

I'm so pleased I've been able to work with her and the cancer alliance on this important project and long may this collaboration continue!”

For more information

Watch the campaign video: https://youtu.be/qSAIoJX93Nk

Visit the campaign website: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/youneedtoknow

Read more about womb cancer on the Eve Appeal website: https://eveappeal.org.uk/gynaecological-cancers/womb-cancer/