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 for people affected by cancer this year.
Banking on Change
Macmillan believes that the banking sector must put the right support in place to help their customers manage the financial cost of cancer. Our Banking on Change campaign has provided great opportunities to share this message and is making an impact for people living with cancer. All because of you.
In early 2018, more than 20,000 of you signed Macmillan Nurse Miranda’s letter to UK Finance, calling for banks to have a legal duty of care to their customers.
Because of this action, the regulator of financial services firms announced a consultation on what a duty of care could look like. You made sure the voices of people with cancer were heard clearly in this consultation, sharing their views and experiences this October.
In 2019 we’ll be keeping up the pressure to make sure everyone gets the support they need to cope with the financial impact of cancer.
Your Cancer Care in Wales
Did you know that you were part of an award winning campaign this year? Your Cancer Care in Wales campaigned to make sure people in Wales get the information they need when they have a cancer diagnosis.
The campaign promoted a guide designed with people living with cancer in Wales. Nearly 70 of you signed up to champion the guide. You shared it with family and friends in more than 80% of Welsh constituencies, taking copies out into your communities – to GP surgeries, libraries and community centres.
The guide has had a huge impact, with over 500 downloads in its first week. And did we mention the campaign won Silver in the not-for-profit category at the 2018 Chartered Institute of Public Relations Cymru Pride Awards?
Happy Birthday, NHS
On 5 July, the NHS marked its 70th birthday. Throughout these years with the NHS, we’ve sought to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can. Macmillan is proud to have worked side by side with this great institution.
To mark this anniversary, you showed your support by sharing special birthday messages and calling on your MPs to support our vision for the future of the NHS. At a special event in Parliament, MPs shared their own messages and signed a giant birthday card.
The NHS long-term plan
Macmillan campaigners have played a crucial role in putting cancer care and support at the top of the agenda.
In the second half of 2018, the Government confirmed extra funding for the NHS. The NHS in England continued work on a plan to improve healthcare over the next decade.
In September, you had your say in NHS England’s public consultation on the plan, telling NHS bosses what improvements you want to see in cancer care and treatment.
This winter, you sent hundreds of personal messages to the new Health Secretary, asking him to deliver a costed plan to recruit, train and retain more NHS cancer staff.
Look out for the latest updates and ways to campaign on patient care in 2019.
World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
In September, we hosted our fourth World's Biggest Coffee Morning in Parliament. Almost 2,000 of you invited your MP to come along to hear how they can support people with cancer in their constituency.
On the day, over 136 MPs and peers attended to show their support for Macmillan, including the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock MP and Cabinet Ministers Andrea Leadsom MP and James Brokenshire MP.
During the event, we heard from Macmillan Chief Executive, Lynda Thomas, about the current issues facing people with cancer and a powerful personal story from Anita, who was diagnosed with terminal small cell bladder cancer in 2016.
Universal Credit
In October, we launched our Universal Credit campaign, because we're concerned that the new welfare system isn't working for people with cancer, just like Neil.
"After my treatment I went to the Jobcentre to apply for Universal Credit. I then had to sit in front of the computer for six hours to actually fill the whole thing in... the Universal Credit people have made me feel really embarrassed by my situation and the fact I have cancer. I feel like it's my fault. And that's wrong."
Neil, 26, diagnosed with brain tumour in 2016.
It is difficult to apply for and get the right support with Universal Credit, and there are often long delays for payments.
You asked almost every MP in the country to raise their concerns about Universal Credit with the Minister of State for Employment, Alok Sharma MP.
We made progress as the Autumn Budget included an additional pot of funding to address the lengthy delays that people face when waiting for payment.
But there’s still so much more to be done. In 2019, we will stand with you to ensure people with cancer can apply for Universal Credit and get the right support without delays.
Thank you for making an impact for people with cancer in 2018. We wish you all the very best for the New Year, and look forward to campaigning with you in 2019.
With gratitude,
Ben, Izzy, Jon, Katie, Shamima, Yvonne
Campaigns Team
