Creating accessible cancer care for Deaf people | The Cancer Professionals Podcast

Описание: Creating accessible cancer care for Deaf people is the focus of this episode of the Cancer Professionals Podcast. We are joined by Claire Adshead, Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project Manager, and Gillian Briden, who shares her deeply personal and at times challenging experiences of accessing cancer care as a Deaf person.

Gillian’s story offers vital insight for health and care professionals, highlighting the urgent need for accessible communication, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, and culturally aware cancer care. Her experiences reflect wider health inequalities faced by Deaf people across the UK.
Claire explains how the Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project is working to improve access, communication, and personalised care for Deaf people affected by cancer. Together, we explore the systemic barriers in healthcare, including interpreter availability, inaccessible information, and environments not designed with Deaf people in mind.

This episode is available in spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL), making it accessible to Deaf audiences, families, and professionals supporting Deaf people with cancer.

Who this episode is for:
🟢 Health and social care professionals
🟢 People affected by cancer
🟢 Deaf community members and families
🟢 Anyone interested in accessible and inclusive healthcare

Note: Claire and Gillian communicate in British Sign Language (BSL). Their responses are voiced by a professional BSL interpreter. All dialogue attributed to the guests represents the interpreter’s spoken interpretation of their signed responses.

Content warning: This episode contains conversations about lived experience of cancer which you may find upsetting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

Links from the episode:
🔗 https://www.selfhelp.org.uk/project/d...
🔗 https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-i...

This episode supports Macmillan’s commitment to making cancer care fair for everyone and reaching those who need us most. Learn more about Macmillan’s strategy via this link https://www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us....

Learn more about the podcast series https://www.macmillan.org.uk/healthca...

Our BSL YouTube playlist:    • British Sign Language videos  

Chapters
00:00 Why accessible cancer care matters
00:39 Welcome to the Cancer Professionals Podcast
01:49 Content warning and introductions
02:36 Gillian’s cancer story and lack of interpreters
07:55 Surgery, chemotherapy, and not understanding treatment
11:55 Repeated cancers and not being told about Lynch syndrome
17:28 The emotional impact of not understanding what’s happening
18:34 Why Deaf people still face barriers in cancer care
20:08 What the Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project does
24:20 Common barriers Deaf people face in healthcare
27:33 Simple changes that make appointments more accessible
31:05 Making information accessible in British Sign Language
43:46 Supporting Deaf people at end of life
48:08 What would have made the biggest difference
50:38 Final reflections and key messages