THROUGHTOUT the summer people in Newcastle are being invited to visit a Your Cancer Awareness Hub – a free nurse-led service dedicated to helping people reduce the risk of cancer and detect it early.
Cancer Research UK cancer awareness nurses are running regular sessions in the city centre at Newcastle City Library and Grainger Market, offering visitors information on making positive lifestyle changes like stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol, and keeping a healthy weight.
The community-based hubs have been successfully piloted and build on the success of the North East Cancer Awareness Roadshow, which tours the North East. The hubs offer regular, fortnightly activity where visitors can return for ongoing help.
Every day around 43 people in the North East* receive the news that they have cancer and the number of people being diagnosed with the disease has reached around 15,600 cases every year.** But experts estimate more than 4 in 10 cases of cancer could be prevented in the UK, largely through healthier lifestyles.
The next sessions are on Friday 18 August at Grainger Market between 10am and 4pm and Monday 21 August in Newcastle City Library 10.30am and 5.30pm. Visitors will be able to drop in to the hub to have a confidential conversation with a nurse.
There will be a chance to access information on early diagnosis and the importance of visiting the doctor with any health concerns. Visitors will also be able to find out their BMI (body mass index) to check if their weight is within a healthy range as well as get a Smokerlyzer test.
Cancer Research UK nurse, Lesley Green, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to Cancer Research UK’s Your Cancer Awareness Hub in Newcastle this summer and are really looking forward to getting to know as many people as possible.
“Cancer is a disease which has affected almost everyone in some way so the opening of this new hub will be of great benefit to the local and wider community. The Your Cancer Awareness Hub allows Cancer Research UK to get important information out to people as they go about their busy lives.
“The team will be in Newcastle every two weeks and we hope our regular presence in the community will encourage people to take on board cancer awareness messages. It will allow us to follow up with visitors when needed and we can guide them along the way, helping them to act on their intentions and take positive action as a result.
“We will be providing, ‘Your journey’ cards and action plans to help people think about the health goals they’d like to work towards and track their progress towards these.”
The Cancer Awareness Hub allows people to come back and let the nurses know how they’re getting on or ask for further guidance or signposting to other local services. Up to six repeat visits can be booked with the nurses.
To find out more about how to reduce the risk of cancer and detect it early, visit www.cancerawarenessroadshow.org.uk or follow the Your Cancer Awareness Hub team on twitter on @CRUKHealthHubSC
The nurses will continue to run the hubs every two weeks until December 2017.