Issue date: 17 April 2008
Dr Diana Harcourt, a psychologist from the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, has won a three year grant worth over £72,000 from Breast Cancer Campaign to study the psychological impact of breast cancer amongst women from different ethnic groups.
Breast cancer statistics show striking variations in the incidence and nature of the disease among different ethnic groups. However, very little research to date has looked at the personal impact of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment among black and ethnic minority women.
Dr Harcourt will examine the experiences of Black Caribbean and South Asian women with breast cancer in order to find ways of providing the most appropriate and sensitive care and support.
Dr Harcourt said, “This research will give healthcare professionals an in-depth understanding of the personal and emotional impact of breast cancer amongst women from black and minority ethnic groups. Care and support can then be tailored to meet their needs, particularly regarding issues around appearance and body image.”
Breast Cancer Campaign currently supports over 107 research projects throughout the UK worth over £13 million, three of which are being carried out in Bristol.
Pamela Goldberg, Chief Executive Breast Cancer Campaign said “While our mission is to beat breast cancer, we also aim to better understand the impact that breast cancer has on people's lives and how best to support them.
“Women from ethnic minority groups have been overlooked in previous research in this area and Campaign is therefore delighted to fund this project which we hope will enable these issues to be addressed.”
-ENDS-
Editor's notes
1. Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.
2. Currently it supports 107 research projects, worth over £13 million, in 50 centres of excellence across the UK.
3. Breast Cancer Campaign currently funds four research projects in Bristol worth £300,000.
4. Breast Cancer Campaign recently announced that it aims to fund research in the Republic of Ireland.
5. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women.
6. In the UK, over 44,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women each year - that's 120 a day.
7. Breast Cancer Campaign's new publication: Evaluation of the current knowledge limitations in breast cancer research: A gap analysis - can be viewed at
href="http://breast-cancer-research.com/home/
8. For more information about Breast Cancer Campaign visit:
Breast Cancer Campaign
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