02 November 2025 | The Gurkha Centre | Hayes | By Hari Bhandari
It is an absolute pleasure to share that The Gurkha Centre is working in partnership with RM Partners, NHS Cancer Alliance, to raise awareness of cancer signs and symptoms within Gurkha and Nepalese communities across West London and beyond.
This collaboration is part of RM Partners’ wider initiative to work with 14 community and voluntary organisations across north west and south west London to deliver four tumour-specific awareness campaigns between 2025–2026 – focusing on bladder, bowel, lung, and oesophageal cancers. These community-based programmes combine in-person sessions and digital outreach to help people recognise the signs of cancer early, seek timely medical advice, and improve health outcomes.
Hari Bhandari, CEO of The Gurkha Centre, said:
“It is an absolute pleasure to share that The Gurkha Centre is working in partnership with RM Partners NHS Cancer Alliance to raise awareness of cancer signs and symptoms within Gurkha and Nepalese communities in West London and beyond. These sessions are not just about information — they are about empowerment, early action, and saving lives.”
Bowel Cancer Awareness Afternoon – “Don’t Wipe Away the Signs”
On Tuesday, 29 October 2025, The Gurkha Centre hosted a Bowel Cancer Awareness Afternoon at the Hayes and Harlington Community Centre as part of RM Partners’ “Don’t Wipe Away the Signs” campaign.
The event focused on recognising early symptoms of bowel cancer and promoting participation in the NHS bowel screening programme. Nurse Sumita Rai led the session in Nepali breaking the barriers and highlighting key symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, blood in stool, unexplained abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss, as well as lifestyle factors linked to prevention.
Participants engaged actively, sharing experiences and asking questions in a supportive bilingual setting. Campaign leaflets and posters from RM Partners’ Community Toolkit were distributed to reinforce awareness. Feedback was highly positive, with many attendees saying they now feel more confident to speak with their GP and encourage family members to take up screening invitations.
Earlier Success – Bladder Cancer Awareness Session
Earlier this autumn, on 19 September 2025, The Gurkha Centre delivered a Bladder Cancer Awareness Session under the “Same Symptoms, Different Story” campaign. The event was attended by around 40 participants from Hillingdon, Hounslow, and Ealing.
Delivered entirely in Nepali by Nurse Sumita Rai, the session covered key symptoms — such as blood in urine, recurrent infections, and pain when passing urine — as well as major risk factors including smoking, chemical exposure, and family history.
Participants appreciated the opportunity to receive health information in their own language and requested more translated resources, gender-specific sessions, and visual learning aids. Many shared that this was the first time they clearly understood the symptoms and the importance of early detection.
Looking Ahead
The Gurkha Centre is proud to be one of the 14 partner organisations supporting RM Partners’ community cancer awareness campaign. Having successfully completed sessions on bladder and bowel cancer, the Centre is now preparing to deliver two further awareness events — focusing on lung cancer (November 2025) and oesophageal cancer (February 2026).
Through this ongoing partnership, The Gurkha Centre remains committed to empowering the Gurkha and Nepalese community, breaking down language and cultural barriers, and ensuring equal access to vital cancer awareness and early diagnosis initiatives.
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