Talent, became one of our volunteer Core 20+ 5 Connectors, as she wanted to raise awareness of Cancer screening in women from Black Asian Minority Ethnic community which was renowned for the low uptake on cervical smear tests screening compared to the local white population.  She had avoided going for her cervical smear test and wanted to know why other women from the BAME community were not going for their tests. One the key barriers she identified was women felt lack of dignity having to remove their underwear during cervical examination.

Talent was an experienced sewing Tutor, from the feedback from women she spoke to she designed lingerie for clinical examination with poppers which meant that women would not need to remover their undergarments when going for a cervical smear. She tested these samples with a number of BAME women in the community who felt more comfortable going for their smear test wearing popper pants; and relived at the thought of not having to remove their underwear. 

Talent provided samples of popper pants to her local GP; who trialled them with patients , then the local hospital. Through Shama sharing this model of good practice regionally and nationally with NHS these ‘innovative popper pants’ are in the process of being rolled out nationally by the NHS and Talent has received recognition and awards for her ‘popper pants’; illustrating the benefits or empowering volunteers to lead on innovations.