Remember a Charity Week

Each year Remember a Charity help Macmillan and over 200 other charities raise awareness about the importance of gifts in wills.

This year's Remember a Charity Week takes place between 11 - 17 September 2023 and it is a great reminder that leaving a gift in your will can make a huge impact to the causes close to you.

Gifts in wills are incredibly important to Macmillan. In 2021, gifts in wills accounted for a massive 40% of our income. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of those who have left us a gift in their will, we are able to carry out our vital work supporting people living with cancer.

This is Jackie. Her life, and the lives of those close to her, has been greatly impacted by cancer.

In 2011, Jackie lost her mum Lucy to bowel cancer. Then, just one year later her sister Patti was diagnosed with lung cancer and sadly passed away.

That same year, Jackie herself was diagnosed with stage 4 breast, lung, and bowel cancer, after being previously been diagnosed in 1996.

It was a heart-breaking and stressful time for Jackie and her family. Jackie was grieving the loss of her mum and sister, all while going through cancer herself. But her husband Don was her rock throughout.

When it was time to update their wills, Jackie and Don used the Macmillan Free Will Service and Jackie decided to leave a gift in her will to Macmillan.

"I got a donor from Germany for my transplant a few years ago and she gave me the gift of life. I’ve already had the greatest gift, so if Don and I can leave something that will make a difference to other families or even one family, it’ll be worth it. It will hopefully give people opportunities to spend more time with their families."

Leaving a gift in a will to Macmillan means we can keep doing whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. This Remember A Charity week, will you leave a gift in your will like Jackie, and help us to be there for the people who need us now and in the future?

Many of our supporters choose to leave a gift in their will to Macmillan. In 2021, these incredible gifts totaled over £90 million, meaning we can reach even more people living with cancer who need our support. No matter how big or small, every gift makes a massive difference, for example helping us to:

• Reach 2.4 million people who benefited from our services
• Train 2,744 healthcare professionals
• Answer nearly 103,000 calls offering advice and support through the Macmillan Support Line

Find out more about how a gift in your will could support people living with cancer.