Cancer information for everyone – new Easy Read resources now available
The resources, which include a 2-minute animated video and 5 Easy Read fact sheets, are available as web pages and downloadable PDFs on Cancer Council’s website. Print copies are also available for hospitals and treatment centres to order free of charge.
Jenni Bruce, Manager of Cancer Information at Cancer Council NSW, says that while Cancer Council already offered a wide range of plain English resources for people affected by cancer, these remained largely inaccessible to the 14% of Australians with low literacy (below a Year 6 reading level).
“This figure increases among people whose first language is not English, with 25% reporting low literacy,” explains Ms Bruce. “To address this disparity, these new resources feature bespoke realistic illustrations and simple text and follow established Easy Read principles.”
Cancer Council NSW’s bilingual liaison, Gloria Yu, knows firsthand how important accessible resources are for CALD communities. “Receiving a cancer diagnosis is difficult news for anyone, and the patients I work with are faced with the additional burden of healthcare information that’s not in their native language. These Easy Read fact sheets will ease that load for them – removing any confusion and enabling them to navigate their cancer experience with increased confidence.”
The new video resource outlines how cancer is diagnosed and where to find support, while the fact sheets cover the key topics of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, feelings associated with cancer, financial concerns and staying healthy after treatment. All resources were developed through extensive consultation with health literacy experts, health professionals, organisations that work with people with low literacy, and people with a lived experience of cancer.
Access to reliable cancer information has a range of benefits, including improved health literacy, increased sense of involvement in care, and improved ability to cope. Medical oncologist Dr Fiona Day from Calvary Mater Newcastle says of the new resources, “It supports understanding and as a clinician, it is the minimum I would wish any patient to know (and that they would need to know to reliably attend for their treatment).”
To download the resources, visit Easy Read Cancer Resources | Cancer Council NSW. To order print copies for your NSW hospital or treatment centre, please download the Resource Order Form from the Resource Hub, or call Cancer Council 13 11 20.
Find out more here.