Why cancer care is unfair and how we are addressing it
Cancer affects people unfairly in the UK, with diagnosis, care and outcomes often shaped by unacceptable barriers.
Macmillan’s new campaign highlights these inequities and shows the support available through our services, cancer care professionals, volunteers and community partners. It’s a call for everyone to help ensure every person with cancer gets personalised, fair care.
Facing a cancer diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis doesn’t feel fair. It can change everything - your body, your relationships, your hopes for the future. And for some, it’s even tougher, because cancer care in the UK is not experienced equally. How quickly someone is diagnosed, the care they receive, and their chances of survival can be affected by where they live, what they earn, how they communicate, and other unfair barriers that shouldn't exist.Too many people are having to face cancer in isolation and are not getting the support they need, in a healthcare system that is struggling to cope. No one should miss out on the help they need because of who they are, where they live, or because they’re overwhelmed by the impact cancer can have on every part of their lives.
Our vision
We want to change this. This week we have launched a new campaign raising awareness of the unfairness that exists in cancer care, and the support we can offer - and mobilising more people to join the army of community groups, healthcare professionals, volunteers, fundraisers and partners working towards a fairer future for cancer care.Our focus
The campaign brings to life our mission to reach and support everyone affected by cancer, while also focusing on those who need support most.The campaign looks at all the ways cancer can disrupt lives, and the many hidden unfairnesses faced. It also shows that it doesn’t have to be this way, showing the breadth of care and support that is available through Macmillan, our professionals, community groups, partners and volunteers.
The experiences of people affected by cancer
Ensuring every person gets the best care that meets their unique needs is a change that will take all of us and we have involved many people with a range of experiences to help us build this new campaign. The stories are real. The experiences talked about through the campaign are rooted in the insight and data we have from helping hundreds of thousands of people every year, every one of them facing a unique set of challenges caused by their cancer diagnosis.
The campaign is an opportunity to show how we are working in meaningful partnership with others to make sure everyone can access cancer care that is personal and relevant to them.
Read more about the campaign, meet the storytellers at the heart of it, and find out how you can help make cancer care fair.
Read more
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