Funke Bello
Background
My name is Funke Bello, and I am a Nigerian born in Ghana.
While living in the UK, I pursued my studies and began working as a carer and housing support worker, a profession I cherished deeply. It gave me the opportunity to provide care and assistance to individuals in need, and I found great fulfilment in this work.
In my local community, I am part of a vision project that takes us to Nigeria each year to provide eye care and treatment for people who suffer from vision problems but cannot afford treatment.
Our mission is to help these individuals live more fulfilled lives through improved eyesight. We rely on contributions from within our group and donations from friends and well-wishers. Additionally, we collect used frames to support our efforts. This project is ongoing, and we are committed to making a difference one step at a time.
My public involvement experience so far
Alongside my work in healthcare, I am also involved as a public contributor across a range of projects including the MAVIS study and a systematic review project aiming to explore the effectiveness of interventions used to increase vaccination uptake.
Why public involvement is important
These research projects provide us with the opportunity to work with researchers and share ideas on how research and health services and providers can better serve our community.
A key area that I have felt passionate about is raising awareness of potential stigma associated with treatments or vaccinations, which may arise due to religious or cultural beliefs and exploring ways to address these in research. For example, we have created adverts and leaflets that are easy to read and understandable to all. We also explored other accessible formats to deliver information such as videos to ensure they reach the community.
By improving communication and understanding, we aim to close the gap between the community, research and healthcare providers to ensure research and services are accessible and welcoming to all.
What I have enjoyed about being involved in research
I have learned so much through my involvement in these projects, especially from working alongside our peers who have diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs, and I have valued the support received from colleagues in the research teams. The experience has enriched my perspective, and I encourage others to get involved in research through public involvement.
I believe that one of the best ways to give back to the community is by helping to create an environment that provides better, more inclusive research, treatment and care for everyone.