The RSVPs rolled in
We kickstarted the new year by inviting MPs to our drop-in event in Westminster last month. We’ve been so excited to update you on how it went! A big thank you everyone who invited their MP and helped us reach 92% of constituencies throughout the UK.
Thanks to Macmillan campaigners, a record number of MPs attended our event in Parliament! 138 MPs and Peers came to speak to people living with…
It’s time for us to give our heartfelt thanks to you for supporting people living with cancer and their loved ones with our campaigns in 2019.
The political climate made it challenging to make change happen this year. But without campaigners like you, we could not have made vital progress towards a system that helps people living with cancer live life as fully as possible.
Here’s what we’ve been able to achieve…
If you need support or help with anything mentioned in this post, you can call:
Kate's Story
‘I was out of breath all the time, sometimes I would just lie on the sofa and do nothing. I couldn’t talk…
Today is International Women’s Day. It is both a celebration of all the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and a time to focus on women’s rights. This year’s theme, #BalanceforBetter, underlines this.
Macmillan prioritises policy that tackles the health inequalities that exist for those living with and affected by cancer.
We work to ensure that those receiving physical,…
Neil, 27, diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016. Supported our Universal Credit campaign in 2018.
Today marks World Cancer Day. This day draws attention to the impact of cancer on the lives of the 2.5 million people currently living with it in the UK.
At Macmillan, we understand the many ways a cancer diagnosis can affect your life. Whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you. One way we do this…
This year, people like you took over 37,000 actions to support people living with and affected by cancer.
Without you, the Macmillan campaigns team can’t make sure that decision makers hear the voices of people with cancer. For each time you spoke up this year, you have our heartfelt thanks.
Our journey together in 2018 has covered a wide range of important issues. Read on to find out about the impact you’ve made…
Here Frances writes about sharing her story of life after cancer treatment with Macmillan, about being involved in our campaign for better support after treatment, and talking to MPs and ministers in Parliament about the challenges she faced:
(Pictured: Frances (right) with her MP Alex Sobel)
Having been involved with Macmillan, as a service user and…
We’re counting on your support
Last week we launched our Banking on Change campaign to make sure that people affected by cancer get the right support from their bank or building society.
Can you sign our letter and share our campaign on social media to help us reach more people and raise awareness of the issue?
What’s the problem?
Four out of five people feel the financial impact of cancer, and find…
Earlier this year, we asked you to tell us about your experiences of trying to access travel insurance after a cancer diagnosis. We wanted to understand the issues people with cancer face when it comes to getting covered.
Over 400 of you shared your story, and the results were pretty shocking. While a few people described positive experiences, most of you told us about quotes that were many times more expensive than…
If anyone deserves a break, it’s someone with cancer.
This week we launched our 'Give us a break' campaign to make sure travel insurance is clear and fairly priced, so that people with cancer can take a break when they really need it.
Can you share our campaign on social media to help us reach more people and raise awareness of the issue? Or, if you have or have had cancer yourself, and have experience…
We recently submitted our response to the Government’s Green Paper consultation on work, health and disability. We asked people with cancer for their thoughts to help shape our thinking, and in our response we set out the support people with cancer need to manage the financial impact of cancer, and to help them remain in or return to work.
At the end of 2016, the Government published a consultation document outlining…
In 2016 we made real progress in the fight to deliver change for people affected by cancer. Here’s our look back at what we have achieved together over the past 12 months. Check out our latest campaigns for 2017 here.
Putting the fair back into welfare
We kicked off the year continuing the campaign to put the fair back into welfare.
7,000 people wrote to their MP about the impact of the Government’s proposed £30…
The Government is currently consulting on what work support should be available to people claiming the benefit Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If you have experience of claiming ESA, we’d love to hear your views. Please respond to our survey so that we can make sure the Government’s consultation on work and health takes the views of people affected by cancer into account. Take the survey now.
At the end of…
Earlier this year, the Welfare Reform and Work Bill was passed, which will cut support for people in the Work-Related Activity Group of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by £30 a week. Now, there are calls for the Government to reverse that cut, with a backbench debate due to take place in parliament. Macmillan is seriously concerned about the impact of the planned cut on people with cancer, and wants the Government…
Have you ever thought ‘if only this little thing existed, it would make life so much easier…’? That’s what went through James McNaught’s mind when he was having treatment for throat cancer in 2014. He travelled to hospital on London Underground trains, often feeling incredibly unwell, and wanted to find a way to let his fellow passengers know he was in need of a seat. Thanks to James’s Cancer on Board campaign, Transport…
The government is currently consulting on the future of Attendance Allowance, a financial benefit for over 65s which many people with cancer rely on. We want to show how important Attendance Allowance is for people with cancer to stay independent. If you or a friend or relative with cancer has benefited from Attendance Allowance, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch.
Attendance Allowance is a financial…
All this week is Dying Matters Awareness Week (9th–15th May). It’s an annual event, organised by the Dying Matters coalition, dedicated to helping people talk openly about dying, death and bereavement. This year’s theme is the #BigConversation and we’re joining to talk about our campaign to improve end of life care. We want everyone to have choices about the care and support they receive in their final…
Our guest blogger, Freya, tell us why fair treatment at work is so important.
Each year almost 120,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer in the UK. In 2012 I was one of those 120,000.
I’d been in a new job for six months when I was diagnosed with cancer. On top of coming to terms with the diagnosis, learning about treatment options and side effects, and breaking the news to family and friends, I was also…
We’re looking for people with or recovering from cancer who are currently receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) to support our campaign against the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill.
ESA is essential financial support designed to help people who have been medically assessed as being too sick to work, but who can do activity to help them get into…
Nikki and Marie cared for their loved ones at the end of their life. In this video they tell us how making this time as comfortable as possible is one of the most important things a carer can do.
www.youtube.com/watch
Marie tells us her story
“My brother, Dave, was diagnosed with a melanoma on his ear in 2007. His cancer went into remission following treatment, but sadly it returned. In July 2013 he was told he had just…
Izzy in the campaigns team looks back over our General Election campaign and impact it has had on the future of health and social care.
Our General Election campaign has come to an end, and what a success it has been. Thanks to your support, all of the main political parties in England made broad manifesto commitments to improving health and social care. Together we have brought about the foundations to provide real change…
To mark Volunteer Week Ellie Cusack talks about giving her time to work in campaigns.
In January 2015 I got back to the UK after a year of volunteering in Mexico. I’m very passionate about the work of charities in the UK and knew I wanted to work in the third sector, but didn’t know exactly what to do or where to begin. A friend showed me the advert for spring internships at Macmillan and it looked like a great opportunity…
Our guest blogger this week Sara Cutting (aka Chemo Snood Head) talks about sharing her cancer story with local candidates over cake.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer last July, I didn’t even give it a second thought that my treatment would not be taken care of by the NHS. I’ve always taken the NHS for granted. I, along with us all have watched Breaking Bad or other Hollywoodised fictions and truths…
Read our guest blog from our campaigns intern Ellie Cusack
As General Election fever sweeps the nation with less than a week to go, here at Macmillan we have returned to the office following our Time to Choose Campaign Road Show.
We held Cake with Candidates events in Watford, Cambridge, Loughborough, Bristol and Brighton where we were joined by Macmillan professionals, people affected by cancer and local parliamentary…
The first Campaign Road Show was such a success we’re hitting the road again, and this time we’re also giving you the chance to meet your local candidates. Next week we’re heading to Watford, Cambridge, Loughborough, Bristol and Brighton between 13th and 17th April. If you or your friends live in any of these areas, we want to find out the issues that matter to you.
We’d love you to pop by our campaigns…