CCC activities

Communication between the Charities

The Council meets every 3 months. At every meeting, each charity provides a report of activities and other issues, thus enabling members to keep abreast of each others’ events and concerns. This has a number of advantages:-

1. charities have been able to minimise those occasions when fund-raising events “clash” with those of other members;
2. learning of the funding and other initiatives being taken by their colleagues has enabled charities to “streamline” their resources to ensure that it is most effective;
3. members have been able to give each other mutual support, for instance supporting and assisting at each others’ fund raising events;
4. joint initiatives have been undertaken (e.g. staffing of mobile information unit, certain awareness campaigns) which have enhanced the effectiveness of individual charity projects;
5. all the charities can keep up-to-date with and influence developments within cancer services in the island, even funding specific health care posts in certain instances.

The Island’s Cancer Strategy/Liaison with the DHSS

As a co-ordinated group, the charities who are members of the Council have been able to play a significant part in the development of cancer care in the island and the Council now has an excellent working relationship with the Island’s Department of Health at all levels. In 2002/03 the Council provided significant funding to enable a consultant to be employed for 15 months to research and make recommendations as to how cancer services might be developed for the future. As a result of this work (in which the Council was heavily involved) the following developments have taken place:-

• the Isle of Man has now been formally accepted as part of the Merseyside & Cheshire Cancer Network. This is very important as it now provides a wider network of support and information from which the island’s health care professionals can draw.
• a Cancer Task Force has now been established in order to “oversee” the development of cancer services for the future, thus ensuring that service standards are regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate. Membership of the Taskforce includes representatives from the Consultants, Nurses, GPs, Hospital and Primary Care Management, Merseyside & Cheshire Cancer Network, Public Health and Hospice.  Most importantly, the Council of Cancer Charities is represented on the Taskforce, as are patients and carers who have two representatives on the Taskforce.
• a Cancer Services Users’ Forum was established early in 2004. This forum aims to represent patients and carers when assisting the Government in developing services. It provides 2 representatives to serve on the Taskforce. To date, it has been looking at the provision of information and support, particularly to newly diagnosed patients, and the allowances payable to those who have to travel off-island for treatment.
• a series of Strategic Multi-Disciplinary Teams have been established to cover all the main tumour sites. These teams include doctors, nurses, public health representatives, GPs and patients. They are involved in looking at the detailed standards of service for site-specific tumours and how they might be improved.
• a Cancer Nurses Forum which is led by a Lead Cancer Nurse (Sue Ardern) has been established to which all those nurses specifically involved in cancer care belong. This forum is looking strategically at how the nursing of those living with cancer might be improved. This also includes work on how healthcare professionals can work more effectively alongside voluntary support groups.
• with the help of Macmillan Cancer Support (one of the council members), a new post of Lead GP (Dr Karen Sharpe) has recently been established, to assist GPs and others working in the community when dealing with those living with cancer.

From this, you can see that much is now being done to develop cancer services in the island. It is an ongoing process. Some of the issues which have been actively dealt with are:

• the provision of information and support for those living with cancer;
• the provision of new equipment and staff at Nobles Hospital;
• how IT and better data management can assist clinicians in their role;
• health promotion issues;
• the potential establishment of a call/recall breast screening programme;
• the level of the allowance given to patients and carers when travelling off-island for cancer treatment.

Cancer Information and Support

Proper information and support for those newly diagnosed with cancer can have a major beneficial impact upon their outcome, as well as helping friends, relatives and carers cope in a very difficult situation. The Council has therefore spent a major part of its efforts since its inception on looking at whether, and if so, how to establish a centre in the island which could do just that.   

As a result, the Macmillan Cancer Information & Support Centre opened in Spring, 2006.

Raising Awareness

One of the Council’s main aims is to enhance overall awareness of cancer, with a view to encouraging early diagnosis, as well as with a view to enhancing the fund-raising profile of its members. Council members are very active in this area and have a very good, ongoing working relationship with the Health Promotion division of the Department of Health. The following are examples of the work which has been carried out:

• Public Meeting -  the UK National Cancer Plan – February 2001
  Mrs Maureen Parsons of  Macmillan Cancer Support visited the island in February, 2001 at the Council’s invitation to speak to a large audience on the UK’s National Cancer Plan. The Minister for Health attended and spoke at the meeting. This meeting played an important part in raising the profile of cancer in the island and, as well as providing a helpful “learning curve” for professionals, it also gave members of the public an opportunity to address the Minister and other key decision-makers on issues of concern
• Visit of Macmillan Mobile Information Unit – September, 2001
  In September, 2001 Macmillan Cancer Support brought over a mobile exhibition unit which contained information for people living with cancer. It was located at sites in Ramsey, Douglas and Mount Murray and was staffed not only by Macmillan personnel, but also by volunteers from all the other cancer charities here. In addition staff from St Bridget’s Hospice also joined the venture and provided vital professional advice and assistance to the public. 
• Healthcare Professionals Meeting - Psychological Aspects of Cancer- March 2002
  In March 2002  Professor  Peter Maguire, Professor of Psychiatric Oncology at Christie CRC Research Centre in Manchester visited the Island at the invitation of the Council to speak to a large audience about his work on the psychological aspects of cancer. A large number of health care professionals attended, as well as members of the public.
• Public Lecture - Professor Mike Richards – November, 2002
  In November 2002,  Professor Mike Richards, the UK’s Cancer “Czar” visited the Island, again at the invitation of the Council and spoke to a large audience, primarily healthcare professionals, about the UK’s experiences in trying to roll out enhanced cancer services to the public. This did much to raise the profile of the island’s emerging cancer strategy.
• Radio Interviews
  During 2003 IOM Anti-Cancer Association worked in association with Manx Radio in recording a series of interviews with a number of people who had suffered from cancer in order that they could tell their story to the public. The aim of this campaign was to raise awareness of different types of cancer and the importance of early detection and prevention.
• Safe in the Sun
  A close working relationship has now been developed with the Division of Health Promotion and the Council Members. One result of this has been a wide-ranging campaign to raise awareness of skin cancer and the importance of protecting yourself in the sun. The campaign has been aimed mainly at children and their parents and has been a great success. The 2004 campaign has also achieved some excellent feedback so that an even more effective campaign can be run in future.
• Breast Cancer
  October is the UK’s breast cancer awareness month and, for several years, Council members, in particular Jan Brooks of Breakthrough Breast Cancer together with the hard-working Breakthrough Committee, and Carole Cowin of IOM Anti-Cancer, have laboured tirelessly to raise awareness. The DHSS have been working closely on this and, as a result, presentations have been given to students in every secondary school in the island, as well as the IOM College of Further Education. These have proved to be very successful and Jan Brooks receives many requests to repeat her presentations in other arenas – for instance she has recently spoken to staff in a hairdressing salon.
• Prostate / Testicular Cancer
  In 2003 and 2004, IOM Anti-Cancer Association worked with the DHSS to invite Mrs Wendy Gough from the UK’s “Everyman” campaign to the island to speak to boys in secondary schools about the importance of early detection for testicular cancer. Furthermore, during “Men’s Health” week, a vigorous poster campaign was launched to raise the profile of men’s cancers, with many large employers also being targeted. Council Members provided much of the finance and manpower for this campaign.
• Lung Cancer
  In 2004 the IOM Lung Cancer Fund worked with the DHSS in raising awareness of lung cancer. It is hoped that this link can be developed further in the future.
• Takeaway Skills
  The IOM Anti-Cancer Association is working with the Health Promotion division of DHSS in an ongoing programme designed to help young people learn about healthy eating and living, specifically by learning to cook “healthy” versions of their favourite takeaway – curry, pizza etc. 
• Skipping
  The IOM Anti-Cancer Association is also working with the Department of Health in encouraging young people to exercise. The Schools Skipping project is extremely popular within the Island’s schools.

Staywell Clinic

The Staywell Clinic provides cervical screening services for women in the Island. It operates in the evening with women-only doctors and administrative duties are carried out by volunteers from the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association. Approximately 800 women have their smear tests carried out in the Staywell Clinic which has been operated under the auspices of the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association since 1964. 

However, with the move to the new Noble's Hospital, a number of issues arose which cast doubt upon whether, and if so, how the clinic could continue. As a result, the Council of Cancer Charities worked with the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association in negotiating with DHSS for the retention of the clinic.  Happily, these negotiations were successful and, as a result, the clinic has continued at the new Noble's Hospital. 

Negotiations with DHSS continue, however, with a view to safeguarding the future development and management of the Staywell Clinic.

Focus for the Future

The main focus for the work of the Council of Cancer Charities in the coming months and years is likely to be:-

• Ongoing involvement with the implementation of the Island’s cancer strategy, including assisting Government, where appropriate, with funding requirements; and
• Ongoing involvement in raising awareness of cancer for the purposes of early detection and prevention