By Mencap
By sharing her
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
for Mencap's I'm In campaign, Annabell is raising awareness of the importance of better healthcare, encouraging people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
to check they are on their GP’s
learning disability register
The learning disability register is a list of people with a learning disability that the doctor’s surgery looks after.
and receive annual health checks.
Annabell said: “When I was ill, it was really difficult to be understood. I went to the doctor time and time again with back pain and constant tiredness, but I found it hard to explain how bad it was or describe my pain in the way someone without a learning disability might. Sometimes I’d be fine, other times I’d be curled up in agony, and I also had breast pain but didn’t realise it could be linked.
“I knew in my gut that something was seriously wrong, but I didn’t know how to push it with the doctor, and I didn’t have a
support worker
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
at the time to help me explain what was happening. It was only after I collapsed in agony and was rushed to A&E that tests showed I had breast cancer which had spread to my spine and shoulder. By then, it was too late – there is no cure, and I was only 52.
“I believe my cancer was found late because of my learning disability. People with a learning disability need doctors and nurses who are better trained and understand that we might need different questions, more time, or extra help to explain what’s wrong.
“That’s why I’m backing Mencap’s I’m In campaign A campaign is when people work together to try to change something. and urging people to check they’re on their GP’s learning disability register. Being on the register means you can get free annual health checks and support in the way you need it, so health problems can be spotted and treated earlier. I don’t want anyone else to go through what I have.”
Help us make healthcare better for everyone
If you have a learning disability tell us if:
• your GP did not put you on the learning disability register
• you did not get a health check
• appointments were hard to understand
• you had good care and support.
Thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for their generous grant, funding this work.