It’s Volunteer's Week from June 2nd to 8th, 2025. This blog celebrates the dedication and commitment our fabulous Online Community Champions give to the Community every day. 
The Community Champions are a dedicated team of volunteers here on the Online Community. Our Champions are a friendly listening ear for those who need it most, helping people affected by cancer feel supported and less alone. The role is flexible and there's no expectation for Community Champions to log in every single day, although many of them do.
So far this year, our Community champions have posted over 14,498 times, which helps show the amount of kindness and support they provide every day.
A huge thank you to:
Beesuit, chellesimo, chris2012, Daisy53, DaveyBo, GBear, Irishgirl16, jane2511, Kasvin, latchbrook, lesleyhelen, Lowedal, MikeO, Millibob, Nikki65, rily, SarahH21, src60, Thehighlander, and Weeme
“I just want to personally say thank you to the champions who are there for us. Kindly supporting and advising us. You guys are amazing and have been a huge help to me as I navigate cancer. Thank you all for your time and your kindness." -Community member
“Thank you to you and other community champions. You are all worth your weight in gold.”
-Community member
“I am so grateful to the champions on this forum too.... not sure I would have gotten through one weekend and the messages I received really, really helped me.”
-Community member
“I wish everyone on here the very best, and thanks again to the Champions and everyone in this unique and special Group” -Community member
“Thank you so much for explaining the next likely steps to me. It's of comfort to me to hear direct from someone whom has been through the same. …Take care and thank you for all you do as a Community Champion.” -Community member
“You are a true community champion for Macmillan, and so kind and considerate.”
-Community member
We hope you’ll join us by saying a big thank you to our amazing Community Champions in the comment box below. Click here or scroll down to go to the comment box.
We asked our Online Community Champions to tell us what volunteering means to them and why they decided to take on the Community Champion role. Here are some of their answers:
“I was supported by some wonderful community champions and other members of the online community during my cancer journey and that is why I wanted to help out now.” - Jane2511
“Macmillan make volunteering so easy and flexible so even with a busy job, I can fit it in. It means a lot to me to be able to share my experience to help others and to give something back.” - Irishgirl16
“After my diagnosis, I joined the Community and received some fantastic help and support. My journey was explained to me in simple easy to understand words, and I found the Community members to be an inspiration in helping me through the difficult times when I needed help from people who "understand" where I was. After a short period of time on the Community, I felt able to start putting back in what I had already had out.
I am proud to be a Community Champion. Being able to help others who are in the same place I was makes being a volunteer so satisfying. I have learned so much about people, life, and sadly death. I have improved my computer skills, I have discovered empathy for others - but most of all it's made me a better person and I now have the confidence to deal with almost anything not only on the forum dealing with my specific cancer but throughout the entire online Community.
As a Community Champion, I can pick and choose when I am online. The satisfaction of helping strangers you will never meet is so rewarding. When I log off I always feel I have achieved something.” – Millibob
“Google is not your friend, but somehow you come across Macmillan. You’ve heard of them before, so you take a look and find “The Community.” I’ve been a Community Champion for a few years now, focusing on the Head and Neck Cancer Forum, and every day I see how important peer support is. It’s the medical teams who fight the cancer, but the support of those who know what it really feels like helps you fight to believe in yourself and keep you sane, gives you tips to keep well, and shows you the light at the end of the tunnel.” - Beesuit
Click on the links below to read the blogs where our Champions share experiences in their volunteering role.
Being a Community Champion provides flexibility to when you volunteer as the Online Community can be accessed 24/7.
The Community helps people affected by cancer, whether patient, family member, friend or carer, by bringing them together to share personal experiences. We see every day the power peer support has to help people feel less alone by talking to others in a similar situation, or ask our friendly experts any questions they might have about cancer.
Our Champions are a listening ear for those who need it most, helping people affected by cancer feel supported and less alone. In return, Community Champions receive ongoing support from the Community team.
As a Community Champion, you have the opportunity to improve communication skills and digital skills through supporting others online, alongside accessing training resources from Macmillan.
If you have a passion for helping others and are comfortable using the Online Community platform, please do get in touch by email at community@macmillan.org.uk, and a member of the team will get back to you and happily answer any questions.
Microvolunteering is all about turning small actions into big impacts, in a way that suits you. It offers simple ways for you to volunteer your time at Macmillan. They are often simple, quick, one-off tasks you can do from home or in your local area.
If you're interested in microvolunteering, visit the Microvolunteering webpage for more information.
Use the Comment box below to say thank you to our amazing Community Champions 
