Involving all voices in our work

group discussion during member event

The photo above is attendees taking part in a table discussion during our annual Cancer Insights Panel social event at Barts Cancer institute, London.

 

 

We're committed to giving a voice to everyone affected by cancer, including people who may feel unheard or unrepresented in our work

Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender identity, religion or sexual orientation. We’re committed to giving a voice to everyone affected by cancer, including people who may feel unheard or underrepresented in our work. We want to include a diverse range of lived experiences of cancer in our Involvement Network so that we’re as inclusive and representative as possible in our work.

 

 

Cancer experience

At Cancer Research UK, we work with people with lived experience of cancer (someone who has/had cancer and/or their loved ones). Sometimes, we’ll ask that you have specific knowledge or experiences when it’s relevant and essential to certain topics. However, most of the time you won’t need to have any prior:

  • knowledge of Cancer Research UK or the work we do
  • understanding of research or cancer
  • experience of patient and public involvement

 

 

Our mission for equality, diversity and inclusion

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far in becoming more accessible, but we still have a way to go. The statement we include in all our opportunities highlights our aim to involve a diverse range of people and signpost support to help address barriers that might prevent someone from taking part.

Equality, diversity and inclusion at Cancer Research UK
Equality, diversity and inclusion in our research

 

 

professor talking to attendee

Equality, inclusion and diversity statement from the Patient Involvement team at Cancer Research UK:

Within the Patient Involvement Network at Cancer Research UK, we value diversity and we're committed to creating an inclusive space where everyone can be themselves and help shape our work. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, communities and cultures and believe that a range of views and experiences will help us represent all people affected by cancer.

 

 

Health inequalities

Factors such as your ethnicity, where you live or your first language all play a part in unfair and avoidable differences in health and cancer outcomes across the population.

Because of this, we need to make sure that people from the communities and backgrounds most at risk of poorer treatment outcomes are well represented in our work.

Our cancer and health inequalities strategy

 

 

group listening to talk at Cancer Insights panel Social Event

 

I have dyslexia and struggle with technology. However, because you make me feel at ease, I’m able to access virtual meetings without any issues. I suppose because I can be open and honest about my disabilities, I don’t have a problem contributing. I don’t feel embarrassed when I can’t find the appropriate words and my processing speed is a bit slower than other people.

Involvement Network and Cancer Insights Panel member

 

 

Diverse and unrepresented groups

We know it’s vital to include people from a diverse range of backgrounds and people who may fall into multiple groups of underrepresentation. For example:

  • people with multiple disabilities
  • people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds
  • people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
  • people with rarer cancers
  • people who are older
  • people who are both patients and carers
  • people who have been adopted so don’t have access to genetic history
  • people who identify as LGBTQ+