Clever Communications - Voluntary Action Media Unit

Working as the point of contact for
Beating Bowel Cancer between
patients and members of the Press carries
with it responsibilities to all parties. From
the point of view of the charity, a consistent
level of press coverage is important to
maintain public awareness.
Members of the Press call upon us
for suitable case studies with some
frequency, and their needs have
to be fulfilled as well as resources
allow. But the patients’ concerns and
welfare remain paramount.
Before ‘offering’ a case study to a
journalist, we always check that the
patient is well briefed: on the interviewer
in question; and about the relevant media,
bearing in mind possible angles a specific
title/broadcaster might take. Only by
ensuring the patient is completely aware of
these factors can we be comfortable that
they understand how their words are likely
to be used.
Some of the patients’ concerns
about speaking to journalists derive
from a lack of awareness of how the
media operates.
By demystifying the processes (and
reminding them that journalists are only
human too) we are usually able to put
our case studies at ease. Sometimes
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Working with case studies and the media
Katie Harvey, Press Officer, Beating Bowel Cancer
their concerns echo our own, and there
are stories for which we cannot put
patients forward. There may be various
reasons. Recently, a patient had to decline
an opportunity to appear in a national
newspaper once she understood the
implications: by telling her story, her
medical history would effectively be in the
public domain, thus raising difficult issues
for her at work.
Patients have been known to be
disappointed by their appearances in
the media, where their words have been
sensationalised, or taken far too literally.
I remember one patient saying, ‘That
journalist just quoted me word for word, I
thought she’d at least tidy up the English!’
Others have felt disappointed by their first
efforts in talking to their local radio station;
they need to be reminded that they are not
expected to sound expert – indeed that is
part of their appeal.
Beating Bowel Cancer
is the UK’s leading
charity for bowel cancer
patients, working to raise
awareness of symptoms,
promote early diagnosis and encourage
open access to treatment.
www.beatingbowelcancer.org