Alumni support has helped to make a positive impact on an issue that currently lacks visibility and provision. Even though we are still in the early stages of our project, we are rapidly progressing and have built a team with members from different years ensuring we can continue into the future.
Lucy Muan, Project leader, The Little Bean
The Alumni Annual Fund - Highlights
Talk Cancer – using art to tell patient stories
For the last three years, a group of University of Exeter Medical School students have worked alongside FORCE, a cancer charity based in the South West, to promote open conversations about cancer. Their project was support by the Alumni Annual Fund and they launched a book – Talk Cancer – in May 2019.
The book is written by local cancer patients with stories, poems and illustrations highlighting their individual journeys.
Final Year Medical Student Navin Mukundu said: “This book hopes to promote honest conversations about cancer amongst loved ones, friends and to normalise the ‘C’ word. The work alongside FORCE has really helped us to develop a supportive resource for people who are newly diagnosed. This wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing work of everyone involved, especially the patients.”
Fellow student Bogdan Chiva Giurca said: “We’re all incredibly proud of the outcome of this book. The students involved would like to thank the Medical School wholeheartedly for the support and inspiration for this project. Thank you also to the donors to the University of Exeter Alumni Annual Fund.”
Bogdan and Navin, were recently awarded the Furness Prize for Science Communication by the Royal College of Pathologists for their book on the experiences of cancer.
One patient participant, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “Spending time with the young medical students who lovingly gave their time and attention was actually a very therapeutic experience for me. They were sensitive, respectful and asked me the right questions to allow my voice and story to be heard in the best light. I felt a sense of happiness knowing that the future generation of doctors will be kind and considerate.”
Talk Cancer is available in stores around the country.
The Little Bean Enactus Food Poverty Project
A group of students from the University’s Social Enterprise society, Enactus, created The Little Bean. Their aim was to establish a social food shop to combat hidden food poverty within Exeter and fill the current gap in the market between food banks and supermarkets, by selling ‘rescue’ food at a price far below normal retail value.
The project, supported by the Alumni Annual Fund, enabled students to engage with the local community and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills, including financial and time management, presenting, pitching and interviewing. It also gives students the opportunity to volunteer through working shifts at the shop and gain work experience.