In the UK, we spend nearly 90 minutes a day scrolling unintentionally on our phones. In a third of that time, you could complete a free online course that could help save someone's life.
That's the message from Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance, which has launched a new online Cancer Champions training programme to help residents recognise the signs of cancer and support earlier diagnosis.
The free 30-minute course is open to everyone and aims to increase awareness of common cancers, encourage conversations about symptoms and improve understanding of national screening programmes.
Early diagnosis of cancer significantly improves outcomes, and the programme is designed to give people the confidence to recognise potential warning signs and encourage timely action.
The Cancer Champions initiative has already made a significant impact through its established in-person sessions. To date, there are nearly 9,000 Cancer Champions across the Humber and North Yorkshire area, with sessions delivered to a wide range of organisations including Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, Hull University, and community groups such as Hull Sikh Community Group. Private sessions have also been made available to workplaces, educational establishments and voluntary organisations on request.
The real-world impact of this training has been profound. Sharon Hornsby, a Dispatch Officer with Humberside Police, was prompted to visit her GP after attending a Cancer Champions session – leading to an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis. She said: "If I hadn't done the Cancer Champions training, where would I be? Learning about cancer saved my life."
"I think everybody should do the training. Not just for yourself but for loved ones too. You'll be able to encourage them to tell you about any changes to their body they might be worried about. You could make a real difference."
The new online format builds on this success by making the training more accessible and flexible, removing barriers of location and availability for those who cannot attend in person.
Lucy Turner, Managing Director of Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance, said: "We encourage people to ditch the doomscrolling and use that time to do something more enjoyable or enriching – like watching your favourite soap or going out for a walk.
"Or, you could use it to potentially save lives. In just 30 minutes, you could complete our Cancer Champions training and gain knowledge that might help someone spot cancer earlier. It's a small investment of time that could have a massive impact."
No specialist skills, qualifications or prior knowledge of cancer are required to take part. The training takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is available free of charge on the Cancer Alliance website.