Isle of Man Anti Cancer Charity - Supporting local communities

Isle of Man Anti Charity Cancer to host awareness week 

The Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association will bring cancer awareness information to the local communities across the Island.  

The Ambulance Service has once again provided the charity with a vehicle – the Information Ambulance! And it will be equipped with a range of materials, including ovarian cancer awareness materials, with health professionals on board to help answer any questions Manx residents may have relating to the signs & symptoms of cancer or cancer screening.

Often, people feel their concern is too ‘trivial’ or ‘silly’ to bother the doctor about. Maybe they haven’t had the time to make an appointment with the GP to ask your question. This initiative plays a key part in helping the island residents get the care they need. 

The Awareness Ambulance will be in the following locations:

• Port Erin Shoprite Car Park, on Monday 4th September from 10 am – 4 pm
• Ramsey Shoprite Car Park on Tuesday 5th September from 10 am – 4 pm
• Peel Shoprite Car Park on Wednesday 6th September from 10 am – 4 pm
• Douglas Shoprite Car Park Thursday 7th September from 10 am – 4 pm

How did the charity start?

Our charity started over 60 years ago and we are the longest running Cancer Charity on the Island - back then they were the only Cancer Charity on the Island raising funds, predominantly for research.

The Association evolved from the ‘Friends of the Liverpool Radium Institute’ on the Island which had been set up to support Manx residents who required radiotherapy treatment at the Institute in the centre of Liverpool - and we know that this precedes the introduction of the National Health Service in 1948 in the UK. 

All monies raised were placed into an ‘Endowment Fund’ and used to support the service.

In 1958 a new Regional Radiotherapy Centre was opened at Clatterbridge on the Wirral. The Radium Institute refused to transfer the funds that had been raised on the island so the members of the Friends of the Radium Institute all resigned and re-formed overnight as the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association.

What's the purpose of the charity?

The purpose of the charity is to raise money to fund vital research into cancer, raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer and provide support to Island Residents affected by cancer. 

We work with a variety of organisations both on and off the Isle of Man striving for better outcomes for Island Residents! Since 1959, the charity has raised and disbursed more than £22 million!  A large portion of this has been donated directly to Ovarian Cancer Action. 

Why is ovarian cancer important to the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Charity? 

As we know all too well, ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cancer in women - behind breast, lung, bowel and womb cancer and affects around 7,000 women in the UK each year – this equates to about 7 on the Isle of Man.

Ovarian Cancer is often termed the ‘silent killer’ as it can give rise to very few symptoms in the early stages of the disease and even at times be widely spread before anyone is aware that there is anything amiss. 

What does this mean for the residents of the Island? 

We are passionate about raising awareness of all cancers on the Island but with ovarian being difficult to diagnose, we want all ladies to be armed with knowledge that could potentially save their lives. 

As well as the awareness tour, islanders have The Staywell Clinic for cervical screening, where the Nurses are good to advise on the signs and symptoms of cervical, breast and ovarian at the appointments.

If you're a resident on the Isle of Man and want to contact the charity, you can reach them via email: IOMAnticancer@gmail.com or find more information on their website. 

Help raise awareness in your local community - download and print our materials for free.