26/05/2023
“The BSL interpreter had not yet arrived, he was stuck in traffic coming to the hospital. So the doctor decided to write it down on a piece of paper and handed it to me; ‘Sorry, bad news - you have cancer’. I read it and burst into tears.”
Jane, from Birmingham, has been Deaf since birth and found this to be a barrier when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017.
“When the interpreter arrived I felt much calmer. The doctor started asking questions and the British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter relayed the questions to me. I couldn’t respond as my brain would not work, I had so many thoughts running through my head.
"The nurse mentioned to me that I could join a counselling group for people living with cancer. I was interested as I wanted learn more and to get more information. I asked if the group was hearing, the nurse replied ‘yes, all hearing’. So I asked if I were to attend, how would I communicate with others in the group? The nurse was lost for words as they hadn’t considered hearing-loss or deafness to be an obstacle for some people.
“There was no Deaf support group in terms of information, only my interpreter and daughter. I felt this created a barrier as I wanted information, so I tried the internet but it was beyond me in terms of English. I kept getting sent to hospital when unwell and information was not accessible and didn’t know what kind of chemotherapy it was.”
After finishing treatment Jane joined the Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support group.
“To tell you the truth, I wished I joined earlier. I was able to connect with so many people, find out information and understand what their cancer journey is like. The Deaf Cancer group is brilliant and helped a lot."
The Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project offers one-on-one emotional and practical support remotely in British Sign Language (BSL) through trained Deaf volunteers. The 2-year pilot will also support carers, including Deaf people who are supporting a hearing person with cancer.
To find out more about the Macmillan Deaf Cancer Support Project and access support visit 👉 www.selfhelp.org.uk/deafcancersupport. You can also email deafcancer@selfhelp.org.uk
