18 January 2017
The Trust which runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals is inviting people to share their experiences of cancer at a special event to mark World Cancer Day.
The Open House event will take place at the Shropshire Conference Centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) between 10am and midday on Friday 3 February.
It has been organised by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) which runs the RSH and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford as part of the Trust’s “Give a Hand to SaTH” initiative to mark World Cancer Day (4 February).
Give a Hand to SaTH builds on World Cancer Day’s “Talking Hands” campaign which encourages people to write messages of support on their own hand and share them on social media.
Jessica Hancox, Lead Cancer Nurse at SaTH, said: “The event will be open to everybody, including cancer survivors, people living with cancer, their carers, relatives and friends.
“It will be a great chance for people to swap stories and share their experiences. Healthcare professionals from a variety of areas, including Macmillan Cancer Information, a Macmillan Benefits Advisor and Hamar Help and Support Centre staff, will be on hand to offer advice and guidance.”
World Cancer Day takes place globally on 4 February and unites the world’s population in the fight against cancer.
It aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about the disease, encouraging governments and individuals across the world to take action.
Currently, 8.2 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, out of which, four million people die prematurely (aged 30 to 69 years).
Jessica said: “Talking about all aspects of cancer can be difficult, but it is an important aspect in helping us to tackle and beat this disease.
“We would love to see as many people as possible at our Open House. There is no need to book – you can simply turn up on the day.”
For further information about the World Cancer Day Open House, email jessica.hancox@sath.nhs.uk
For more information about World Cancer Day visit www.worldcancerday.org