08/10/2026
💚 Breaking Barriers: Faith, Health & Community
We were delighted to welcome 95 people to Sunderland Bangladesh International Centre for the official launch of our new two-year programme, funded through the Macmillan Cancer Support CARE Grant.
The event brought together community members, people with lived experience, faith representatives, Primary Care, cancer services, health professionals and voluntary and community organisations.
A huge thank you to our speakers, Hamid Motraghi MBE, Director of Health Equity and Inclusion at NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB, Nazia Salim, Cancer Ambassador, and Imam Abu Shuheb from Sunderland Jamia Mosque, for sharing their valuable knowledge, insights and lived experiences, and for contributing to such meaningful discussions on breaking down barriers and improving Cancer and health outcomes for our communities.
Throughout the event, participants explored:
✅ What builds trust and encourages cancer screening
✅ How cultural understanding can improve professional practice
✅ How faith and culture can help challenge cancer stigma
✅ How services can improve access and people’s experiences
The feedback was incredibly valuable. Participants highlighted the importance of trusted community relationships, accessible information, lived experience, faith leadership, interpreting and language support, alternatives to digital-only services, and better navigation through the cancer pathway.
Thank you to Macmillan Cancer Support, our speakers, partners, community members, volunteers and everyone who attended and contributed.
The launch was only the beginning. We will now work with our communities and partners to turn what we heard into meaningful action over the next two years.
Sunderland, UKNorth East and North Cumbria NHS South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Northern Cancer Voices Northern Cancer Alliance
