Young cancer patients from Dorset County Hospital are being encouraged to share their views on services in the area.

Wessex Cancer Alliance, working alongside Wessex Voices and Healthwatch Dorset, have launched a new project called 'Our Cancer Our Way'.

The aim is to creatively engage with children, teenagers and young people, as well as their parents and carers, to understand what cancer services in the area feel like to them and where improvements could be made.

Sue Bickler, project manager at Wessex Voices, said: "Our Cancer Our Way is all about us listening to the young people who are going or have been through the cancer journey themselves - or a parent or carer whose child has cancer, and that could be a young child, a teenager or a young adult.

"We want to know what was good, what was bad and what they would change if they could because that is what we want to do, change the services to better meet the needs of those who use it."

Those who have been treated for cancer in the last two years at Dorset hospitals and were aged 24 or under at the time are invited to get in touch and talk about their experience.

Lucy Cribb, engagement manager for the project at Healthwatch Dorset, said: "Tell us your experience in any way you wish and that can be creative or simply by sending us an email. If you want to share a blog, vlog or diary about your cancer journey, write a story, a poem, draw a picture, sing a song, or take a photo. It is your cancer experience so tell us in your way."

There will also be focus groups for parents to join and share their experiences, but everyone is welcome to get in touch and have a one-to-one discussion too, if they prefer.

The project will then look at what people said so it can start to plan for where changes, improvements or adaptations could be made.

Louise Hooker, clinical advisor for the project and Wessex Cancer Alliance's lead for children, teenagers and young adults, said: "This work will enable us to identify opportunities for service improvement. Our future plans must be informed by the experiences and priorities of young service users and their families."

For more information or to get in touch and share your views, visit wessexcanceralliance.nhs.uk or email [email protected]

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