Bradford mosque urges Asian communities to get earlier cancer checks

A Dawoodi Bohra mosque in Girlington held an awareness event urging Bradford's South Asian communities not to delay cancer checks, in a campaign backed by Macmillan Cancer Support and Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Members of Bradford's South Asian communities attended an awareness evening at the Dawoodi Bohra Adam Masjid in Girlington that promoted earlier cancer checks. The event was part of a wider drive supported by Macmillan Cancer Support and Bradford Royal Infirmary. Clinicians and community members spoke about the benefits of detecting cancer at an earlier stage. The evening included fundraising and visible community participation. Key points: - The event took place at the Dawoodi Bohra Adam Masjid in Girlington and aimed to raise awareness of early detection. - The campaign is backed by Macmillan Cancer Support and Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI). - Dr Munira Joher, a consultant histopathologist at BRI, said earlier testing is linked with significantly better treatment outcomes and noted that stigma and social or family pressure can delay people from attending tests. - Kutbuddin Raja, diagnosed with testicular cancer at 27 and now 58, reported that he delayed getting checked and that his treatment was later delayed by an initial misdiagnosis. - Sherin Pachlasawala, 70, had breast cancer found after an NHS routine scan in 2023, underwent surgery to remove part of her right breast, and continues with routine scans. - A fundraising cake sale was held during the evening, and some participants wore traditional dress in colours chosen to promote breast cancer awareness. Summary: The event highlighted local efforts to reduce stigma and raise awareness about the benefits of early detection within Bradford's South Asian communities, with clinicians noting better outcomes when cancer is diagnosed early. The campaign combined community outreach and fundraising; any wider rollout or follow-up activities were not stated. Undetermined at this time.