Yarning about Cancer - Our Cancer Conversations
What is ‘Yarning about Cancer’?
Cancer Voices SA launched this initiative in 2009 as part of the global ‘Go Public’ Campaign to Control Cancer. These conversations provide a safe space for people to share their experiences, insights, and challenges related to cancer.
Our Approach
- Community-led conversations – Small group discussions, from 6 to 50 people, led by volunteers.
- Open dialogue – Encourages honest discussions about treatment, survivorship, stigma, and support gaps.
- Cultural inclusion – Inspired by Aboriginal participants, we developed a ‘Yarning about Cancer’ toolkit to support conversations in Aboriginal communities.
Read the full report here.
Key Questions We Explore
- What inspired you during your cancer journey?
- What was most difficult?
- What aspects of the health system worked well?
- What needs improvement?
- How can individuals, communities, and governments take action?
What We Learned
- Cancer Conversations work – They engage people worldwide, from developed to developing nations.
- They generate ideas AND action – Awareness, education, and advocacy grow from shared experiences.
- Personal experience drives engagement – People take action when cancer affects them or their loved ones.
Our Goals
- Raise awareness – Up to one-third of cancers could be cured with early detection and treatment.
- End cancer stigma – Shift the focus from ‘cancer victims’ to cancer survivors.
- Drive collaboration – Work with individuals, organizations, and governments to reduce the global cancer burden.
Real Voices from Cancer Conversations
- “I survived ‘terminal’ cancer, but the financial impact nearly killed me.”
- “I expected surgery to cure me. Instead, I had to learn how to live with cancer.”
- “Why is finding information so hard when you’re already struggling with treatment?”
- “The emotional impact of survivorship hit me harder than the treatment itself.”
- “There are too many gaps and duplications in the cancer support system.”