Tees Business LIVE : October 2024
EVENTS
PICTURES : DOUG MOODY
Talking cancer – panel members ( from left ): Nicky McKenna ( Cancer Research UK ), Bianca Robinson ( CEO Sleepout ), Jo Davies ( HR Alchemy ), Tara Evans ( Teesside Hospice ) and nutritionist Angela Beecroft .
Tees Business LIVE : October 2024
LEGENDS LOUNGE , RIVERSIDE STADIUM
SPONSORED BY
TALKING CANCER
Firms urged to sign up for Talk Cancer Teesside
A
supportive approach to cancer is needed on the workplace agenda . That was the key message to a Tees Business LIVE meeting as a new campaign , Talk Cancer Teesside , was launched .
Campaign founder Jo Davies , MD of event sponsor HR Alchemy , is passionate about getting cancer properly recognised in work settings – and Talk Cancer Teesside is the result .
The campaign ’ s main aim – “ make the vow to talk cancer in the workplace ” – was a theme that ran throughout the meeting , which was held in Middlesbrough FC ’ s Legends Lounge .
The event heard from a panel of experts who each had their own take on why Talk Cancer Teesside is a great idea .
And for Jo , it ’ s all about getting employers to open up about and fully recognise a condition one in two of us will get in our lifetime .
She told the meeting : “ When you ’ re dealing with something like cancer , a lot of employers are really scared and , ultimately , they shy away from having the conversation .
“ When I worked as an in-house human resources director , most times it was , ‘ Oh , it ’ s HR ’ s problem to deal with ’ – but that ’ s absolute rubbish , it ’ s everybody ’ s responsibility .
“ If you ’ re a leader , if you ’ re a senior manager , you need to have the tools and be equipped to talk to people about it and be compassionate .
10 | Tees Business
“ I see people talking about menopause and mental health in a much healthier , open and honest way now – but I don ’ t see it with cancer .”
Jo , who is also a trustee for Teesside Hospice , said she ’ d once worked with a business where a senior manager issued a final written warning to someone who ’ d just returned from having a cancerous lump removed .
She also cited a female cancer patient whose employers asked her to make up the time she ’ d had for treatments .
Jo , who lost her mother and father to cancer , added : “ When you find stories like that in this day and age , it blows my mind .
“ We can be so compassionate about menopause and mental health , which is great – but why can ’ t we , as a business community , do it about cancer in a professional and empathetic way ?
“ I want to open this conversation because I ’ m so passionate about it . Businesses have a lot they can benefit from by having expert training to deliver the skill-sets people need to be able to manage their employees – 50 % of them are going to be affected by cancer at some point .”
Other panellists included Teesside Hospice lead counsellor Tara Evans , who talked about the training the hospice can offer , and CEO Sleepout CEO Bianca Robinson , who gave a moving summary of her own cancer journey , which recently saw her given a four-year breast cancer “ all clear ”. “ It ’ s like a black could that hangs over you but I was really thrilled to get that news ,” she said .
Also on the panel were clinical nutritionist Angela Beecroft , who detailed how dietary changes can reduce the risk of cancer , and Cancer Research UK relationship manager Nicky McKenna , who told the meeting : “ There ’ s nobody who isn ’ t going to be affected by cancer and that ’ s why it ’ s important we have the conversations within our businesses .”
He added : “ There ’ s a responsibility on business leaders to provide space to have these talks and to communicate . There ’ s a duty of care for the people you work with .
“ Ask yourself as a business , who do you want to be ? How do you want to project your image to your customers , colleagues and your workforce ? Because they ’ ve all been affected by it .
“ It ’ s important that you ’ re seen to be doing something about this . As a business , you can actively do something to satisfy the needs of your colleagues and customers by coming together and helping us to beat cancer .”
Urging people to register an interest in the new campaign , Jo Davies also thanked Teesside Hospice , Casper Group , OOK Agency , VIA Creative and Pankhurst Design for their support and goodwill in helping with the launch .
To register your interest , visit talkcancerteesside . org . uk