As a Breast Cancer Voice, it’s great to see our ideas being implemented

Tell us about yourself

I live in Lancashire with my 2 dogs and 3 children. You can read about my experience with breast cancer in another story I wrote for Breast Cancer Now.

How did you hear about the Here for You project group and why did you decide to get involved?

After my diagnosis and treatment, I was very keen to give back to Breast Cancer Now as they’d been such a support to me. I’d participated in a variety of fundraising activities, but I felt I had more to give.

As part of Breast Cancer Voices, I saw the Here for You project group advertised in an email. I thought my skillset matched the project well, so I saw it as a great opportunity for me to get involved in.

Here for You is a referral pathway that helps people who've just been diagnosed with breast cancer by signposting them to the right support. : The project group meets every month and looks at ways to reach more people and expand geographically.

What have you been involved in so far as part of the group?

We recently helped to review and improve volunteer training. We went to a training session and gave feedback on how to make it more engaging for volunteers.

A key highlight for me so far was helping to recruit a new support officer for the Here for You team. I was part of the interview panel along with 2 staff members and we each asked specific questions. I was pleased to use my previous experience in this area, and I felt like an integral part of the process.

I learnt a lot more about Breast Cancer Now through my involvement in the interviews.

What impact do you think the project group has?

Since I’ve joined, I’ve always felt that the Here for You team respects and welcomes my opinions. The team are genuinely looking for feedback on how to improve and it’s great to see our ideas being implemented.

There are 2 of us with lived experience of breast cancer in the group. Our different perspectives, along with our professional expertise, have provided direction and support to the project. The Here for You staff make us feel very much part of the team and value our input.

Why do you think it’s important for people with lived experience of breast cancer to be involved in shaping our work?

Everyone’s journey through breast cancer treatment is unique, but there are some things we all have in common. Involving people with lived experience makes sure that services continue to be relevant and that we communicate sensitively.

What would you say to someone thinking about joining Breast Cancer Voices?

Using my lived experience in such a proactive way feels so rewarding. I would thoroughly recommend it.