A cancer centre is celebrating after successfully securing a £70,000 grant to continue its work for the diverse ethnic communities in Wandsworth.

Paul’s Cancer Support Centre, in York Road, Battersea, can now continue its vital outreach work in cancer awareness after being given the money by NHS Wandsworth Cancer is the leading cause of death in Wandsworth for people under 75 and there are inequalities in outcomes and experiences of cancer patients.

The money comes after a reort, BME Cancer Awareness in Wandsworth, was commissioned to recommend the best ways of increasing awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, promoting screening and achieving earlier diagnoses. The study confirmed the low level of cancer awareness and highlighted the negative perception of cancer among individuals from black minority ethnic backgrounds.

It called for a structured engagement and outreach programme designed to be culturally sensitive to meet the needs of a diverse community.

Petra Griffiths, the centre's director, said: "The findings in this study are a timely input to discussions about priorities for addressing health inequalities in this area. We thank NHS Wandsworth for funding the continuation of this vital work.

"This will enable us to develop more initiatives to respond to local need and bring about greatly needed improvements in cancer awareness and cancer support for the BME community in Wandsworth."

Tooting MP Sadiq Khan said, "I have had family members who suffered from cancer, and know just how important it is we de-stigmatise checks, and raise awareness of the steps people need to take to help catch it early."

The services offered by the centre include one-to-one counselling, massage, reflexology, hypnotherapy. It also organise classes and support groups, provides a lending library and information from the Macmillan Information Service.