The barbershop chair has always been a place of truth. These are the stories told there.
For generations, the barbershop chair has been a classroom and a community centre all at once. Here, we gather the stories that flow between barber and client — stories about health, identity, family, and much more.
Jeff Thompson
"Men do talk — you just have to get them in the right environment and they'll talk all day long."
— Jeff Thompson
The inspiration behind Barbershop Uncut Stories came from Jeff Thompson, founder of Cancer Don't Let It Win CIC (CDLIW) and a prostate cancer survivor. That simple but powerful statement became the foundation of Barbershop Uncut Stories. The barbershop has long been recognised as a trusted community space where Black men feel comfortable speaking openly about life, family and their experiences. By using this familiar setting, the project creates opportunities for honest conversations about prostate cancer, early diagnosis and men's health through storytelling, theatre and lived experience.
Following his diagnosis in 2018, Jeff experienced not only the physical effects of prostate cancer treatment but also the emotional and psychological challenges that many men face in silence. Determined that no man should have to face cancer alone, he founded Cancer Don't Let It Win CIC to provide peer support, education and encouragement for men living with or recovering from prostate cancer, with a particular focus on reaching Black communities and others at higher risk.
Since its launch, the organisation has supported thousands of men through support groups, awareness events, community outreach and partnerships with healthcare professionals. cancerdontletitwincic.com
Real Stories. Honest Conversations. Hope Through Shared Experience.
A cancer diagnosis changes lives—but it doesn't define them.
In this special four-part series, Lorna Jones sits down with Jeff Thompson, founder of Cancer Don't Let It Win, to explore the realities of living with prostate cancer beyond the hospital walls.
With honesty, warmth and remarkable courage, Jeff shares his personal journey from the shock of diagnosis to finding purpose through peer support. Along the way, he opens up about the emotional impact of cancer, the challenges many men face in silence, the importance of asking for help, and how lived experience can become one of the most powerful forms of healing.
These conversations are about much more than prostate cancer.
Whether you've been diagnosed with cancer, are supporting someone you love, or simply want to understand the human experience behind the diagnosis, we hope Jeff's story offers reassurance, encouragement and hope.
A prostate cancer diagnosis changes life in an instant. One moment you're making plans for tomorrow. The next, you're trying to process words you never imagined hearing.
A cancer diagnosis brings more than hospital appointments, scans and treatment plans. Discover why peer support can become the missing piece of recovery.
Many men face fears they never speak about following a prostate cancer diagnosis. This article explores why honest conversations can be one of the most powerful parts of recovery.
Life after prostate cancer is about more than survival. Discover how hope, purpose and community can shape a meaningful new chapter.
We invite you to read each article and, most importantly, continue the conversation. Because every conversation has the power to change a life.
Conversations about the body, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to seek help.
Who we are, where we come from, and how we carry ourselves in the world.
The bonds that shape us — fathers, sons, partners, and the next generation.
The wider world of faith, education, work, music, and local history.
Every chair holds a story. If you have a conversation, memory, or experience from the barbershop that you would like to share, we want to hear it. Your story could become part of our archive, our exhibition, or our next production.