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Nov 17, 2024, 23:51

Jemma Reast: London Global Cancer Week‘s ‘Cancer Health Disparities – Understanding the inequalities conundrum’

Jemma Reast, Research Director at shared on LinkedIn:

“Today, myself and Frances Alpe attended the London Global Cancer Week ‘s ‘Cancer Health Disparities: understanding the inequalities conundrum’.
Inspired to attend given our ongoing insights work with our AXON colleagues looking into disparities in care across European countries.

Today has been FULL of hugely informative sessions, interesting research and community interventions shared from all corners of the world.

I want to share some of points that David Collingridge, Editor in Chief of the Lancet Oncology, summarised at the end of the day that may shed light on the days content and provide food for thought for all.

1. Inequities are omnipresent and intersectional – not just in low/middle income countries, present in adult and paediatric oncology and for people living in both rural and urban geographies

2. 1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with a cancer – given this, among other stark statistics, it is imperative that these challenges are tackled

3. The current systems are not working

4. Cancer literacy needs to be a priority of its own, going beyond awareness and building true understanding to aid timely diagnosis and better and less disparite care quality

5. Cultural differences must be understood – for example patient agency is not the same for Malay women in SE Asia as it is for white British women living in the UK. And of course there are often multiple insectionalities at play.

6. Collaboration is key – involving people from all angles, not solely those involved in the healthcare sector (public, private, charity) but also the education sector.

7. Access to healthcare – There is a need for reform to ensure those who are burdened by the worst disparities have equity in access to care. A move towards universal healthcare is about equity & fairness.

8. Need to move beyond the known knowns – it is also time to seek out unknown areas of disparity to truly bring about meaningful action and change.

Cancer inequities are inherently policital issues so where better to host such an event than the House of Commons. A great place to experience, particularly given our Madano NZT recently visited with their client Hydrogen UK.

Thank you to LGCW and all involved for organising such an important and all-encompassing session.”

Jemma Reast