Everybody has a story, and here at Tenovus Cancer Care we would love to hear yours! We collect the stories of people affected by cancer, our volunteers, supporters, and staff, and tell them using words, images and film.
Stories can help to share important messages around symptom awareness and can help people understand that they are not alone in their experiences of cancer. They can help to relieve stigma around issues such as mental health and can add emphasis when an important point needs to be made.
Stories are really powerful, and hearing from someone who's used our services, volunteered or fundraised for us, tells you more about what we do and how we help than facts and figures can.
Sharing your story could help in so many ways. It could help someone who might be feeling alone to reach out for support. It could inspire someone to volunteer with us or encourage someone to raise money so that we can continue to provide our services and support more people. Importantly, it can often be a positive experience for you.
This will be an ongoing opportunity for people affected by cancer in Wales to share their story, and like the All-Wales Cancer Community more generally, we will keep this as flexible as possible! Please read on to see the different ways you could share your story.
What would I need to do?
This is up to you! Stories can take all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Press coverage: Maybe you want to go all out and share your story via the press. If this is the case then a member of our Marketing and Communications team will contact you to discuss your story and, if appropriate, will work with journalists and reporters and support you with any interviews.
Video: Videos are a highly impactful way to illustrate a story. If you’re comfortable on camera and are happy to tell your story, our talented team will chat to you beforehand to plan the best way to do so. You can decide on a location you’re comfortable with and the team will guide you through the process to help you get your important message across.
Blogs: Perhaps writing a piece for our website would suit you better. If this is the case again you could have a conversation with our Marketing and Communications team about what this might entail and what you would like to share.
Anonymous case studies: Maybe you don’t want your name or image associated with your story at all, but you still want to share something about your cancer experience to help others. If this is the case, we can chat with you about your story and then work with you to change any personal characteristics so that it isn’t identifiable. This can then be used to support campaigns, press releases, or to promote cancer services (either our own or others).
How do I get involved?
Get in touch with our team on stories@tenovuscancercare.org.uk and let them know you’re interested in sharing your story. They will then get back to you and arrange a conversation about how you’d like to do this.
How will my story be used?
Sometimes stories will be used very quickly such as for blogs or social media.
Sometimes when press is involved this might not happen so quickly as it is in the hands of the journalists and can depend on the news agenda.
However your story is used, we will make sure that we keep you informed.
Will I get paid for sharing my story?
Tenovus Cancer Care do not pay people for sharing their stories. However, if you are required to travel, we will always cover expenses in line with our volunteer expenses policy