A woman from Leicester diagnosed with breast cancer has decided to launch a support group for people living with cancer in the Asian community.
Allia Amjad, 49, from Evington in Leicester decided to take action after sharing her experience on Instagram and being inundated with questions from strangers who were unable to talk about their diagnosis.
Allia was told that she had Stage 3 aggressive breast cancer in 2019. She describes cancer as being a ‘taboo’ subject in some South-Asian communities with many unable to talk about it or even go to the GP with symptoms.
The support group, funded by Macmillan, aims to provide a safe space where women in North East Leicester can come together and talk about their cancer experiences and get important information and support.
Allia said, “I shared parts of my experience on Instagram and a few ladies who had cancer got in touch with me. I was hearing stories about how difficult it was for them to speak about cancer and how much of a taboo subject it was in the South Asian community.”
Describing an anecdote, she added, “One woman told me her family were not even allowed to say the word cancer. When I started hearing other women’s stories, I decided I needed to do something. I had so much support from loved ones, but not everyone is so blessed. How are people supposed to get help if they can’t talk about these things?”
Allia, a former primary school teacher, had a lumpectomy to remove some lymph nodes and it was followed by 10 months of intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
She said, “Nothing can prepare you to hear those words, (that) you’ve got cancer. You always think of the worst-case scenario, that cancer is life limiting and it’s difficult to see a future. You have to take every step as it comes and just get through it. I was really grateful that I went to the GP when I did as they caught it before it spread anywhere else.”
When she finished treatment, she felt drained and wanted to talk to other women who had been through similar experiences but was unable to find a local support group.
She said, “A support group is so needed in this area. The most important things is awareness. We need to be more open when talking about cancer and encourage people to access support services. People don’t ask for support, they suffer in silence.”
Describing the group, she adds, “The support group will be a place for people to come and talk about these things. It’s about breaking down barriers. It will be for anyone who’s had any kind of interaction with cancer, so could be family or friends, or someone who’s lost a family member. Because it doesn’t just affect one person, it affects their whole family.”
Nichola Sherratt, Macmillan Engagement Lead, said, “Being able to access cancer information and support is so important because a cancer diagnosis can affect so many areas of your life, from relationships to finances. We’re so pleased to be working with Allia to help raise awareness of the support available to people living with cancer in the South Asian community and will do whatever it takes to be there for everyone who needs us.”
The support group will run twice a month from September and will be held at Masjid At-Taqwa, North Evington, Leicester.
