Health Innovation Manchester hosted its largest ever community event on Wednesday, 2 October with over 250 members of the South Asian community from Bolton in attendance. This was to raise awareness of the importance of the early diagnosis of liver and lung disease and heart failure. It also provided an opportunity for people to come together to celebrate the life of prominent members of the community.

Liver, lung and heart failure are becoming an increasing problem in the UK with residents in Greater Manchester (GM), and particularly those from poorer backgrounds, at a significantly higher risk of developing these conditions. In GM, including Bolton, there are high levels of diseases amongst certain communities and if these diseases can be picked up earlier the NHS could save lives.

The event was held at Memory Lane Function Hall in Bolton, based in the heart of the community and a venue that people are familiar with. The format and content for the event was co-created in partnership with local faith-based organisation, Prophetic Path to ensure it was culturally sensitive and appropriate for a South Asian audience. It encompassed both health and spiritual elements including traditional Muslim prayers and hymns (Nasheeds), with personal testimonies and tributes to Haji Mohammed Shafiq and Abdul Qadeer who lost their lives to lung cancer and an undiagnosed heart condition.

Healthcare professionals delivered key messages on lung cancer awareness and screening, liver disease and heart failure which were also translated into Urdu/Punjabi. An interpreter from the community also provided additional support throughout the event to ensure the key messages were understood by everyone. This was followed by an opportunity to raise questions with healthcare professionals and discuss when to seek clinical advice.

Host for the evening, Hammaad Shafiq, Community Pharmacist and self-development coach from Seek2Change spoke about the impact that lung cancer, diagnosed at a late stage, had on his own father, Haji Mohammed Shafiq, who sadly passed away from the condition two years ago.

In a tribute to his father, Hammaad said: “He was always the most beautiful man in the room and was always immaculately turned out. He spent his whole life smiling and bringing positivity to those around him. Whenever his name was mentioned, people just smiled.

When he was diagnosed in January 2022, it was a shock to the family, and it took us all a while to understand the diagnosis. But for him, he was still the same person, if not better, still laughing and joking, still helping and being a mentor for others. Even after his diagnosis, and right until he passed away in hospital, he was still on a journey of helping others. If my father had known earlier about his cancer, may be something could have been done. I will always be honoured to be his son for the 23 years we had together”

Hammaad also added: “it’s so important for our community to look after ourselves spiritually, but also physically, and to make the most of all the latest treatments available to us, so we can serve our purpose as ambassadors of peace”.

Haji Mohammed Shafiq sadly passed away in August 2022, just eight months after his diagnosis.

Lousie Scott, Public Involvement Engagement and Communications Officer at HlnM said: “A wonderful and special evening, bringing together people together from the South-Asian community. We felt privileged to have such a large audience which included community leaders, family and friends of the loved ones who had sadly passed away. This is the first time that Health Innovation Manchester has collaborated with the community in Bolton on this scale and welcomed people that may not usually attend an event like this hosted by the NHS. The success of the event was due to the support and guidance of the community around what would work best.”

Ali Barbuti, Communications and Engagement Manager at GM Cancer Alliance said: “It was a really well attended event that mixed health awareness messaging with culture and great food. We met lots of useful connections many of whom worked in the community and were happy to take posters and leaflets to further spread the word about the importance of early diagnosis when it comes to lung cancer. We hope people left knowing more about the upcoming lung health checks in Bolton as well as the signs and symptoms of lung cancer and the need to go to their GP if they are worried.”

The event formed part of the Health Innovation Accelerator (HIA) programme that has been established to rapidly improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease across the 2.8m Greater Manchester (GM) population with a particular focus on addressing inequalities in underserved communities.

Further information

Prophetic Path is a faith-based organisation whose mission is to create ambassadors to promote universal peace. This is achieved through a programme of life coaching and community engagement which is tailored to individuals and groups.

Seek2Change delivers initiatives that promote personal growth by empowering individuals to embark on a journey of self-discovery, reflection, and improvement. By fostering self-awareness, resilience, and a growth mindset, we equip our audience with the tools and resources needed to navigate life’s challenges and unlock their full potential.