Amie is a Cancer Champion support officer at The Rainbow Project - Northern Ireland, a charity that provides help and support to LGBTQIA+ individuals and their loved ones affected by cancer. After a personal experience with the Rainbow Project, Amie joined their team and now has the opportunity to connect with individuals affected by cancer, offering guidance and directing them to the support services they need. “A person’s life can change very quickly after a diagnosis and it's one of my responsibilities to make sure they feel linked into the services that are going to be beneficial for their needs. Whether it be financial support, transport to appointments, check in sessions or ‘listening ear sessions’ where individuals can talk through their thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental and relaxing atmosphere. Additionally, I can refer them to other Rainbow Project services too. “I also work with cancer support, screening and health services to help them to understand the barriers faced by LGBTQIA+ people accessing services and to support them in becoming more inclusive. “I was introduced to the Rainbow Project like many people are, through their services. During the pandemic, my partner was able to access some of the services they offer. I saw first-hand how beneficial the services can be for individuals, and I began to think about just how important visibility is for our community and how I would have really benefitted from a service like this when I was questioning my own gender identity and sexual orientation. “Last year, I moved to the Cancer Champion’s service, which is a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. We have loved working with Macmillan as they are so supportive of our work and really passionate about cancer care. My role is to link individuals to Macmillan services and support, such as the Cancer Nurse Specialist support team, financial support and guidance, or health and wellbeing advice. “One thing that the Rainbow Project pride ourselves in is our person-centred, holistic and co-cultural approach. Through my own life experiences, I have been able to connect with so many people and it has truly been a life-changing and enriching experience for me.” Working with organisations like the Rainbow Project is vital to ensure that people living with cancer get the relevant information and support they need. We have information for LGBTQIA+ people about services they can access on our website: https://lnkd.in/eaGa7xmF
