The impact of leaving a gift in your will
Gifts in wills fund over a third of our vital services, including Macmillan professionals, our helpline and expert cancer information. These thoughtful gifts help ensure that no one faces cancer alone, allowing Macmillan to provide emotional and practical support for people affected by cancer.
3.5 million people are living with cancer in the UK, and that number is rising. Leaving a gift in your will can help us reach every one of them, whoever they are and wherever they live. See how your gift can transform lives, by ordering your free Gifts in Wills Guide.
Real stories. Real impact.
"Macmillan gave me my life back" – Siobhan, Dundee
When Siobhan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, she was living by herself in Dundee. With her closest family overseas or hundreds of miles away, she was unsure of what she needed or where to turn. Siobhan’s 2 poodles, Sparky and Percy, and her garden were her only constants.
Then she found Macmillan’s Improving the Cancer Journey programme.
Siobhan says: “The initiative involves being interviewed by a Macmillan Support Worker about your life and your cancer experience. They then identify your needs and help to address them. The assessment is 'holistic'. It encompasses every aspect of life from physical and psychological effects of cancer to practical aspects like needing to have your dog walked during your treatment.
The support worker helped me see that my needs - emotional, practical and psychological - were real, and they could be met. I didn’t have to do it all alone.”
“Macmillan saved me – and I want them to save others too.”
"The Macmillan nurses smashed those barriers. They helped sort things out" – Mohammad
Mohammad, 40, called the Macmillan Support Line for help when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021, after months of misdiagnosis. Once active, he is now disabled and living with a stoma. Throughout his treatment, he depended on Macmillan, especially when a serious infection left him isolated in hospital.
Mohammad Says: “I hadn’t seen my wife in days because of a broken booking system. I remember the Macmillan nurses came to the ward, I was sobbing to them explaining I hadn’t seen my wife.
There had been no contact and I’d asked to speak to somebody, because I was going out of my mind. I hadn’t had any other contact other than the nurses coming in to change the antibiotics over. The Macmillan nurses said they weren’t having this.”
The Macmillan nurses listened and took action. They made calls, challenged the system, and got Mohammad the spiritual and emotional support he desperately needed. They arranged for Mohammad’s wife to visit without restrictions and even brought in faith leaders who supported him through the toughest moments of his treatment.
Leave a Legacy. Be part of the change.
When we look back on our lives, we think about what truly matters: our loved ones, our communities, and the legacy we leave behind.
By including Macmillan in your will, you’re helping to shape a future where everyone with cancer gets the best possible care, wherever they live in the UK. To find out more, order your free guide to leaving a gift in your will.
The power of your gift
In 2024, our supporters raised a remarkable £239.7 million for Macmillan. Of that, £106 million came from gifts in wills.
Stories of love, resilience, and a desire to create a better future
Beverley's story
Beverley left a significant gift in her will to Macmillan, to ensure those who face cancer get the full care and support they deserve.
If you’d like to read more about Beverley's act of generosity, and the journey that led her to leaving this legacy, check out the blog post linked below.
Ann's story
My husband and I decided that we would leave money in our will to Macmillan, around 5 years ago. I just hope and pray that what I can leave in my will, will help Macmillan to carry on with the wonderful work that they do."
Made possible by your legacy
Our Media partnership
In partnership with Our Media, we’re telling inspiring stories that bring the impact of gifts in wills to life.
By connecting Macmillan’s support with the passions people love, from gardening to cycling , music to spending quality time with loved ones, this partnership shines a light on the impact of gifts in wills.
These stories show how legacy gifts help fund vital support, allowing people living with cancer hold on to who they are, and continue doing what they love.
Transforming cancer care is within your gift
Our free Gifts in Wills guide covers:
- The impact a gift in your will to Macmillan could have in the future.
- Practical information on will writing, inheritance tax, and our Free Will Service.
- The types of gifts you can leave and how to do it.