June 3, 2014

Finding the right words to deliver a vital cancer message to Serbian and Macedonian communities

A campaign to breakdown the stigma of cancer and bowel screening among Serbian and Macedonian communities in the Illawarra was launched this week.

When bowel cancer is detected early, there is an 87 per cent chance of survival, but research has shown that language and cultural barriers often prevent messages about screening for the disease from getting through.

The campaign, part of the by The Cancer Good News Project led by and the University of Wollongong’s Centre for Health Initiatives, will use radio scripts on Macedonian and Serbian radio channels to try to improve the understanding of the benefits of screening for bowel cancer in those communities.

“With bowel screening, it is really important to raise awareness and discuss tests in a culturally sensitive manner, so we have worked closely with members of both communities to develop these scripts,” said CHI’s Dr Lyn Phillipson who is leading the project.

“They are actually more like a short play, than an ad, with the story line highlighting a conversation between two community members who have received FOBT kits in the mail.”

“It’s important to raise the awareness in all communities about Bowel Cancer and the simple screening tests - known as FOBT - that are available to detect changes that occur in the bowel at an early stage. We also need to challenge some of the misconceptions about cancer and spread the word that, if found early, cancer is not a death sentence.”

Launched during Bowel Cancer Awareness month, the campaign includes advertisements on Macedonian radio program HERTZ FM Radio stations and Serbian radio program 2VOX FM – believed to be the first ever bowel screening messages produced in those languages within Australia.

“We are confident these radio messages, as a part of the overall campaign, will reduce some of the stigma and misconceptions related to bowel screening tests and encourage community members to take an FOBT test,” Dr Phillipson added.

The Cancer Good News Project is a partnership between the Centre for Health Initiatives (University of Wollongong), the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (Multicultural Health and Cancer Services) the Cancer Council NSW (Southern Region) and the Serbian and Macedonian communities of the Illawarra. It has been funded by a grant from the Cancer Institute NSW.

You can listen to the radio scripts and also access other activities and resources associated with the project at cancer-goodnews.com.au.

For further information: Dr Lyn Phillipson from the Centre for Health Initiatives, +61 2 4221 4773 or +61 431 533 060.