CancerLife Project

The CancerLIFE project is currently funded by NHS Enfield to provide information and support to people within the London Borough of Enfield who are affected by cancer. Our project is one of many under the "umbrella" of Enfield Disability Action.

CancerLIFE Drop-ins

We hold:

• fortnightly drop-ins at Community House, Edmonton
• monthly drop-ins at Park Avenue Disability Resource Centre, Bush Hill Park, Enfield.

Anyone with cancer or their carer can come along to these informal drop-ins where we offer:

• benefits advice (at Community House drop-ins only),
• taster complementary therapy sessions (around 20 minutes each) such as reflexology, Indian head massage, holistic massage, reiki and healing.

We are very fortunate to have a team of volunteer complementary therapists who give their valuable free time at the CancerLIFE drop-ins.
All our therapists are fully qualified with insurance and membership to their relevant governing bodies. Our visitors find the treatments very relaxing, which ultimately improves their well being and they are able to share experiences with others in similar situations.















We also have facilities for anyone who likes to paint. The corridors outside the EDA office are lined with paintings produced from people who attend our drop-ins. Occasionally we will organise jewellery making sessions and other craft activities.

CancerLIFE Project Work

The main focus for CancerLIFE project work is to promote cancer awareness. We have worked with many local community groups to provide basic information about the main types of cancer and availability of screening.
Our work includes:

NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

Following the launch of this screening programme in Enfield, CancerLIFE have worked in partnership with NHS Health Promotion to encourage participation. We have already worked with many hard to reach groups, attending their meetings or drop-ins to explain who is eligible to participate, how the kit is used, what happens once it is completed along with all the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer.

Living a Healthy Life

This very successful programme for adults with learning difficulties sees CancerLIFE working in partnership with One to One Enfield, Community Link Social Services Day Centre and the Community Nurses. The programme includes 12 interactive information sessions about healthy eating, health living, exercise, cancer awareness, heart disease, strokes and diabetes. The community nurses also check participants' weight and blood pressure and during our diabetes information session the nurses from Forest Road Clinic check everyone's blood sugar levels. Regular health checking as part of this programme has led to many people being referred to their GP's for further tests.
Through the above programme we have obtained additional funding from Social Services Learning Disabilities Team to co-ordinate monthly drop-in sessions allowing adults with learning difficulties to continue accessing community nurses for weight and blood pressure checks. Again these health drop-ins have been so well attended we are now running one at Community House on the 2nd Tuesday of every month and one at Radiomarathon, Turkey Street Enfield, on the last Friday of the month. Check the list for dates and times.

Community Link Women's Group

CancerLIFE also works in partnership with Community Link Edmonton and Enfield to provide a regular programme of cancer awareness sessions. Subjects covered include: Healthy bowels, Breast Awareness - including how to check your breasts for lumps and screening when appropriate, Skin Cancer Awareness, Do I need a smear test? Healthy eating and What is cancer?
All these sessions have valuable information in an accessible format that is easily understood by the group and allows them full participation and interactive discussion. This work has been extended into the men/'s group, when invited, and is also moving into other women/'s groups for ladies with learning disabilities in Enfield.

Cancer Awareness Displays

These displays are an effective way of promoting cancer awareness in the borough. Generally we set up displays on a regular basis at Edmonton Green, Southgate and Palmers Green libraries at the Civic Centre at the Lancaster Centre in Lancaster Road Enfield and at other health awareness events that we attend.

CancerLIFE Involvement in the Cancer Network

CancerLIFE is involved with the North London Cancer Network Partnership Group to ensure the views of cancer patients and their carers are represented. We are also part of the Information Board, which facilitates co-ordinates and promotes patient information services across the network.