SIGHT FOR LIFE
Sadly, it is a fact that minority communities are more likely than the general population to be affected by certain health disadvantages. 

Whilst health solutions are available to all, some communities may have limited awareness through lack of information, misdiagnosis, and / or lack of confidence. Our Signposting Service frequently encounters cases of people suffering in silence.

Deaths and chronic ill health can be avoided through better and appropriate information. The SAMEC Trust strives to raise awareness through a range of services, including our Information Surgeries, Campaigns, Partnership working, Newsletters and Outreach.

Our latest campaign
The Sight For Life Campaign is an important issue that can affect you and anyone you love.  While anyone can develop glaucoma, some people are at higher risk, including people with diabetes and people of African-Caribbean origin.

Why is important?
Disturbingly this chronic disease has very low levels of awareness amongst communities most affected ie African Caribbean According to national research we commissioned by the independent research agency, Ethnic Focus®, a staggering 72% of African Caribbeans could not identify the symptoms of glaucoma, This is despite the fact some forms of glaucoma are more than three times more prevalent among people of African-Caribbean.

What is the SAMEC Trust doing about this?
Samec Trust held a Glaucoma health awareness day in Wembley London on Tuesday 9th March 2010. Every 9th of March Samec will hold an annual health awareness event.

What do we need?
We are raising £5000 towards this project. This will contribute to costs of the 4 Glaucoma workshops and information surgeries and outreach to the community over the next twelve months in Birmingham, London, Bristol and Manchester.

How will we recognise and value your support?
We will for highlight your efforts on our website and monthly newsletter that goes out to 15,000 community and business contacts. You will be invited to our Annual Gala Dinner as well as being on our Corporate Roll of Honour.

SEE THE CAMPAIGN VIDEO>

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LUPUS UNITED CAMPAIGN SEE THE CAMPAIGN VIDEO>
As colleagues of a SAMEC staff member who lost their sister at the age of 38 to Lupus, we realised how Lupus can affect lives of not only sufferers but also of their family members. Lupus can devastate lives- it is a terrible condition in which the immune system which is meant to protect us actually starts attacking the body. Lupus can cause miscarriages, heart problems, kidney disease and death.

However this chronic disease has very low levels of awareness amongst the African Caribbean and Asian communities despite these communities being most affected.

To increase awareness of Lupus the SAMEC Trust is fronting a campaign called Lupus United and on the 27th August 2009 in Wembley London presented a Health Talk about Lupus.

The Lupus Health Talk consisted of a presentation on Lupus by speakers who were Lupus sufferers and are now running a support group. This was followed by Questions and Answer session and a discussion on how to further the Lupus United campaign in a meaningful manner for Lupus sufferers and those interested in this condition.
The day was an overwhelming success with feedback such as “…my cousin’s partner passed away at a young age from Lupus and I have been looking for information on Lupus and I haven’t been able to find this in Brent so I am glad I came along today”

In order for SAMEC Trust to undertake further national workshops, outreach and support using our Telephone Advice Line, Signposting and Newsletter services we are raising additional funds for the Lupus United campaign.

Please help us by donating to our LUPUS UNITED campaign.
You can donate by either sending a cheque to SAMEC Trust addressed to SAMEC Trust, 87a Wembley Hill Road, Wembley HA9 8BU or by logging on to our website donation link at www.samectrust.org.uk.

As we are a voluntary body we rely on donations in order to increase awareness of health issues affecting ethnic communities and your donations help us achieve this.
We are constantly carrying out campaigns to make a difference in the community. Here are some of the campaigns we are currently highlighting as part of our commitment to saving lives .

• Mental Health and Young Caribbeans,
• Lupus –Wendys story,
• Glaucoma and African Caribbeans, 
• CHD and Asians,
• Diabetes Self Help,
• Travellers Health Information Needs,
• Older People and Social Care Needs,
• Asian Women and Breast Cancer Awareness,
• Youth and Depression