Winner
Unseen Unheard: The Untold Breast Cancer Stories of Black Women in the UK
by Mearns & Pike for Gilead Sciences in partnership with Black Women Rising
Summary of work
“So when you ask them for something more suited to you, they just look at you blankly, or sigh, or roll their eyes. And I’m starting to feel as if I’m an inconvenience and I shouldn’t feel like that.” Dorah (play character)
Black women diagnosed with breast cancer have been found to have poorer survival than White women. We are Black Women Rising and we know that Black women feel UNSEEN and UNHEARD when compared to White women facing the same life-changing cancer diagnosis. Gilead Sciences committed their support in helping to change this. Together with Mearns & Pike and Theatre Peckham, we set out to ignite a conversation about cancer inequalities that would bring about action, through the creation of a beautiful, powerful and disruptive play for theatre.
Unseen Unheard ran to a packed-out, community theatre in Peckham over six nights. Performed by professional actors to media, charities, HCPs, policy makers/influencers and most importantly, Black women living with cancer, the play brought the raw experience of Black women to the forefront and highlighted what needs to change. The play has been a catalyst to further our reach and influence and change the Black breast cancer experience.
Judges’ comments
The Unseen Unheard project quite simply made the judges go wow! It is lovely work and the team, including charity representation, presented it beautifully. This highly emotive project was exactly the right approach to inequity, the right solution, and the right behavioural science option. Written by patients, appealing to the exactly the right audience and genuinely compelling. The outcomes were impressive across both healthcare professionals and awareness for women in the black communities.
