Macmillan Cancer Support

In May 2017, Liz was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. This was once considered a death sentence, because it was difficult to treat. Find out more about her experience and how it inspired her to join Macmillan and work to improve the lives of people living with cancer ⬇ “Fit and healthy, I was shocked at the diagnosis. When I discovered the lump, which was the size of a small potato, it had already spread to my lymph nodes. “After facing the first hurdle – the trauma of breaking the news to my daughters – I had a short but agonising wait for CT scan results to see if it would be treatable; it was. I had a party! “Following heart scans, I started 12 sessions of heavy chemotherapy within the week. I had my head shaved as the hair falling out was sore and irritating. I carried on living normally and even playing my beloved netball for the first 7 weeks before extreme nausea took over. I was then treated to 3x fortnightly doses of a chemo so toxic it had to be manually fed into the vein. Now I was too ill to even sit up, and spent the days in bed, taking anti-emetics hourly, eating a nutritious diet of trifle and strawberry bon-bons, and binge-watching A League of Their Own to lift my spirits. I did get a phone call from Chris Martin’s dad though… “Once I was back on my feet, I organised a coffee morning fundraiser for 500 people at my daughter’s school and managed to get the Christmas decorations up. Then I headed to hospital for a 10-hour surgery – a glamorously named nipple-sparing mastectomy with breast reconstruction from my stomach. “7 months, 15 chemo sessions, 19 cannulas, 25 blood tests, 5 scans, hundreds of anti-sickness pills, 40 injections, a mastectomy and reconstruction later - I received amazing news - the chemotherapy had destroyed the cancer and nothing remained. After 3 more weeks of radiotherapy I threw away the exotic green surgical socks and looked for a job where I could give back. “Serendipity brought a Customer Experience role at Macmillan to my attention a few hours before the recruitment deadline, and I applied from a strong sense of instinct. 6 years later, I’m still here doing what I love best – making things better for people with cancer and doing it with all my heart, because I know what that journey feels like. I wanted to help others have the best support and experience during dark and difficult times. “I recently created and launched the Guide to Services for Professionals – a tool to help quickly identify the best service or support for a person’s needs. It’s taken blood, sweat and tears to get it over the line, but it’s been worth every minute, as it’s been so well received.” To find out more about the Guide to Services for Professionals, visit: https://lnkd.in/eGajKqCw

A new government marks an opportunity to revolutionise our broken cancer care system for the thousands of people left waiting for the care they need and deserve. There's no time like the present Keir Starmer.

Digital innovation is a cornerstone of improving the patient experience in cancer care. We are partnering with Huma to further develop its systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) Digital Checklist app, to help improve the experience of cancer patients across the UK. Currently, when cancer patients are pre-screened to check their health before receiving cancer treatments, this is usually done over the telephone or in a physical appointment which can be inconvenient for some patients and can add to the workload for clinicians. The app allows patients to share health information with clinicians from the comfort of their own home. Clinicians can then review their patients' health data remotely to understand if they are ready to receive medication. The innovation from HUMA is designed to increase clinical capacity for the delivery of treatment, improve the patient experience and reduce stress for cancer patients. Virtual care has the potential to deliver a quality healthcare service for cancer patients, with the aim of making their experience more convenient, more streamlined, and more closely aligned to their needs. The pioneering technology in HUMA’s SACT Digital Checklist app could have a transformational effect on cancer care across the UK by increasing clinical capacity and ultimately improving the experience for many cancer patients. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eVZzvjNU

“Volunteering is a meaningful way to feel part of something bigger while having fun and meeting new people you might not have otherwise connected with. If you’re thinking about volunteering, do it! Dale is a Relationship Fundraising Coordinator and has worked with us for over five years. He is a member of our LGBTQIA+ colleague network. Our eight colleague networks are a place for people to come together and feel supported to be themselves. “I help supporters through their fundraising journey, helping them with their fundraising needs and recognising them for their efforts and the impact their support makes for people with cancer. “I joined the LGBTQIA+ network at work to be part of a community where I could fully be myself and share who I am. I wanted to connect with colleagues I might not have otherwise interact with in my role, share mutual experiences, and bond over shared interests and values. I wanted to feel included and be part of something meaningful to me. “The network provides a safe space for open and honest conversations. It gives us the opportunity to come together, discuss inequalities, and work as a group to promote inclusion in the workplace and drive real change. I've also learned a lot from others' experiences and gained insights into different perspectives. Last year, Dale volunteered at Leeds Pride, walking in the parade as an ambassador of Macmillan. “I’ve attended many Pride events over the years, but I’ve never volunteered at one. I thought this would be a great chance to get involved with my local community and represent Macmillan. “Leeds Pride was such a fantastic day! It was great to connect with colleagues and other volunteers. The response from the cheering crowds along the parade walk was so heart warming and definitely made me feel full of pride.”

Cancer care across the UK is at breaking point, and people with cancer are facing significant challenges across all areas of their lives. The next UK government must turn the crisis around and develop a plan to revolutionise cancer care.

Tonight, the Channel 4 series Super Surgeons: A Chance at Life returns to our screens. The four-part documentary follows cancer patients at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust who undergo pioneering and life-changing surgeries using cutting edge technologies. Our partnership and involvement in this series helps to show the bigger picture of how cancer can impact a person’s life in many ways as we share real calls from people who are living with cancer and the varied support we can offer. Let us know if you’ll be watching tonight at 9pm. Image credit: © Wonderhood Studios.

We’d like to congratulate those on the King's Birthday Honours list 2024. A special mention to Susan Julie Pearson, Fundraiser and Community Volunteer for Macmillan Cancer Support, Anne Margaret Gregg, a Macmillan Nurse in the Orkney Islands and Mark Foulkes, Macmillan lead cancer nurse and nurse consultant at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust’s cancer centre, who have been recognised for their services to Charity and Healthcare. 💚

Nathaniel waited over 100 days to start cancer treatment despite the NHS target being 62 days. We need a commitment that the next UK Government will prioritise a long-term strategy that transforms how we treat people with cancer across every department of government, to ensure people with cancer get the right care for them every step of the way.

We’re so grateful that thousands of people who have been touched by cancer generously share their experiences with us. It’s important that we offer a platform for these voices to help spread awareness and offer support for others who may be experiencing something similar. After sharing Kit’s story about his husband, Laurence who died after he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, we received a lovely email from Kit who thanked us for sharing their story. "I just wanted to say a huge thank you for sharing Laurence’s story on Macmillan’s social media. It gave our fundraising a huge boost last Friday - rising by £1,000 in a day and has helped push our total to more than £7,000. The event was a huge success on Saturday with 70 friends and family taking part. "It also led to lots of lovely comments from former friends and colleagues of Laurence, who I’m not in touch with. So it was lovely to hear their memories of him." Laurence was a former colleague of ours at Macmillan, and we’re so pleased to hear we had supported Kit’s fundraising by sharing their story. Kit and 70 of his and Laurence’s family and friends walked the 22-mile length of the River Wey in Surrey last month to raise money for us, after we supported Laurence in many ways throughout his time living with cancer. If you’d like to donate, their JustGiving page is still open - https://lnkd.in/guEPE_z5

“I’ve given my time as a scout leader for 21 years, so I guess volunteering is in my blood.” When Metropolitan Police Sergeant Kiwi was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, the support he received from Macmillan helped get him through. “Initially, things didn’t look great, and at one point I was told that I potentially only had three months left to live. I was only 31 at the time, so it was a lot for me to get my head around. I was in a really dark place. I called the Macmillan Support Line when I was at my lowest point and while it may seem like a small thing, having someone listen meant everything to me because I needed to offload.” Two years after his diagnosis, Kiwi decided that he wanted to do something to help Macmillan. Kiwi has volunteered his time to Macmillan in countless ways. From being involved in opportunities with our corporate partners such as Omaze and the London Scouts, to being a guest speaker at a Macmillan staff conference and collaborating with us on YouTube videos to help encourage more conversation on cancer amongst Asian men. Kiwi has been incredibly generous with his time and we couldn’t be more grateful! “Whenever I share my story for Macmillan, I’m always very honest and I try to keep things very real. I also throw in some humour because that helps me to connect with people. If I can help people feel a little better and less alone by sharing some of the things that I went through, then I’m using the negativity of my experiences for good. “I'm grateful to Macmillan for so many different things. Not only did Macmillan support me, but they also gave me a platform to be able to become a keynote speaker, and I've been able to hone my skills as a result. I could volunteer for Macmillan for the rest of my life, and I hope that I do but it will never be enough to repay Macmillan for what they did for me.” If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us, take a look at our website: https://lnkd.in/e8smDdvZ