Action not words – this Black History Month and beyond

We want to ensure everybody with CF feels heard and tackle the misconception that CF is a condition that only affects white people. 

We also recognise that it’s about more than a month, and we want to continue to share the experiences of Black people in the CF community throughout the year, and into the future. We will keep learning, adapting, and growing, and we won’t stop until we can truly support a life unlimited for everyone with CF. 

Education

Here at the Trust, we are committed to learning more about the impact of CF on Black people, in all areas of life, and how we can improve our support to minority groups. We know that people from ethnic minority backgrounds experience social and health inequalities; we’ve seen this in the data from those who are accessing our welfare grants, and it was highlighted further by the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and South Asian communities. It’s down to us to learn more about the inequalities people with CF from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds are facing, and ensure that all our services are relevant, accessible and inclusive for all. 

Action not just words

Our actions must speak louder than our words, which is why staff at the Trust were motivated to set up an internal diversity group, who play an important role in holding us to account and pushing us to do more in all areas of our work.  

We are also pleased to be working with Breaking Down Barriers, a network of organisations working to address health inequalities and improve access to services for people affected by genetic disorders, such as CF. And to be launching a new project to increase diversity in clinical trials.

Accepting feedback

Part of being an ally is continuing to learn and grow; so reflecting on what we could have done better in the past, and how we might handle situations differently in the future. 

At the Trust, we will always strive to do better and we won’t stop until we can truly support a life unlimited for everyone with CF. If you have any feedback, please get in touch to let us know how we can ensure our information and services are accessible and relevant to everyone with CF. 

To find out more about Black History Month and this year's theme (Actions: Not Words), and to download resources to share through your own channels, visit the Black History Month website.   

You can find out more about the work of Breaking Down Barriers here.