Event hailed as 'most open conversation ever seen on Asian women's health'
A charity dinner at the Blue Tiffin restaurant in Royton, Oldham, evolved into an open discussion on Asian women's health, focusing on breast cancer awareness, cultural stigma, and the need for flexible NHS screening appointments. Dr. Anita Sharma and a survivor named Amina shared powerful insights, while the Henna Foundation highlighted efforts to improve healthcare access for South Asian women.
Royton Restaurant Hosts Groundbreaking Discussion on Asian Women’s Health
A breast cancer charity dinner at Blue Tiffin restaurant in Royton transformed into what organizers called “the most open conversation ever seen on Asian women’s health in Oldham,” as dozens of women broke cultural taboos to discuss gynecological health and cancer screening.
The event, intended to raise funds for 1,000 mammograms through mobile clinics, sparked unprecedented dialogue about the embarrassment surrounding women’s health issues and the need for flexible screening appointments for women with large families. The candid discussion was catalyzed by Oldham health campaigner Dr Anita Sharma’s speech and the emotional testimony of Amina, a Manchester woman who concealed her breast cancer diagnosis for three years.
Amina, whose real name was withheld, revealed she attended 19 radiotherapy appointments alone, scheduling them in the morning so she could continue working and caring for her children. “The diagnosis is terrifying, but I was determined to be strong, keep busy and not worry my family, who I only told after I had my final operation,” she told the 50-plus attendees. The crowd erupted in cheers upon learning she has been cancer-free for three years.
Dr Sharma, founder of the Endometriosis Awareness North campaign, highlighted stark statistics: one in eight women in England will face breast cancer diagnosis, yet South Asian women are 30% less likely to attend screening appointments. “I will be asking the NHS for more flexible appointments for women who cannot simply get in their car and turn up at any time,” she declared, emphasizing the need for multilingual materials.
Henna Chowdhury, Head of the Henna Foundation, joined via live-link to praise the gathering’s openness. “When we began our work we could not even use the term ‘breast cancer’ and instead called it pink ribbon work!” she exclaimed. The foundation plans to send medical personnel to Bangladesh in January to support health carers in the Sylhet region, home to many British Bangladeshi families.
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