The cancer lottery - what will it take to harness innovation and spark a revolution in cancer care?
With the government soon to unveil its new 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS, our next Green Room event will be discussing the role of innovation in addressing the disparities in treatment and outcomes for people living with cancer.
Macmillan Trustee and Chief Digital & Technology Officer at M&S, Rachel Higham, will be joined by a panel of experts, sharing their views on this topic.
The UK healthcare system, to quote Lord Darzi, is in serious trouble - with a lack of funding, lengthy waiting times, and hard-working healthcare professionals on their knees. As a result, right now people with cancer are facing a lottery, with unacceptable gaps in care that are often made worse by who someone is or where they live.
We have a government pushing through major reform in the NHS and talking about a once in a generation opportunity to transform health and care. But how can we move from pockets of innovation to widespread change? How can we harness that potential of innovation to improve experiences and outcomes for everyone, whoever and wherever they are – and spark a revolution in cancer care for the future?
Join us for this discussion to hear from a range of perspectives about the cancer care inequalities the UK is facing, as well the solutions that Macmillan and our partners are implementing to bring about change.
Event speakers
Past events
Can charities afford not to invest in start ups?
In June 2024, we held a thought-provoking panel discussion about cancer innovation and impact investment: Far too often the needs of people living with cancer aren’t being met, and the UK still lags behind its international peers when it comes to cancer survival and early diagnostics. Are technology start-ups the answer? And what role should charities like Macmillan play?
To discuss this, Macmillan’s’ Chief Partnership Officer, Steven McIntosh, was joined by a panel of experts:
- Joe Stringer, Executive Chair and Director of Automata
- Umaima Ahmad, CEO of 52North
- Tej Panesar, Veteran Life Sciences and Healthcare Investor
- Richard Simcock, Chief Medical Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support.
Participants also heard from Leo Medical and Lucida Medical, the brilliant startups that are the first to receive investment through Macmillan’s Innovation Impact Investment Portfolio.
The discussion was recorded and it can be viewed here.
Event summary
During the event, the panel discussed why Macmillan is helping to develop new ways to transform the lives of people with cancer by investing in the most innovative ideas and pioneering products that will make the biggest difference to quality of life.
We're working with people with cancer, the NHS, forward-thinking companies, and experts in healthcare and technology to make this happen.
Cancer care is at crisis point. Staff continue to work tirelessly to provide people with vital care – but chronic staff shortages and an enormous backlog of patients are leaving them stretched to breaking point.
Inequalities in healthcare are creating unfair and avoidable differences in how long people are likely to live, the health conditions they may experience and the care that is available to them.
Cancer care must adapt and evolve, and innovations have the potential to ensure that each patient receives personal and compassionate support.
Play a vital role in improving cancer care
The Frontier Funders Club is a fundraising product aiming to raise £2 million over 2 years. The money will fund partnerships and investments in start-ups and small businesses at the forefront of developing groundbreaking innovations in cancer care. The purpose of the Frontier Funders Club will be to:
- Raise money to fund partnerships and investments in innovations that people experiencing cancer need (each member joining the Club will give £50,000).
- Connect donors to innovators, providing the opportunity for them to use their skills and experience to support the development of groundbreaking innovations
- Build a community of supporters passionate about innovation who can work with us to drive transformative change for people with cancer.
What will the money be spent on?
The money raised will be invested in developing, testing, and rolling out new products and diagnostic tools for people with cancer. We estimate that £2 million could fund the next 10 groundbreaking innovations in cancer.
“I can absolutely assure you, the level of rigor and professionalism far outstrips my prior employer, which is one of the most commonly known and most active VC funds in Europe. So if it's a question around professionalism and competence, there is absolutely no doubt.”
Joe Stringer, venture capital investor & former Head of Healthtech, Octopus Ventures
If you are interested in joining our Frontier Funders Club, or would like to find out more about Macmillan’s innovation work, please email us at philanthropyenquiries@macmillan.org.uk.
See other events
See other philanthropy events
Our philanthropy events are an opportunity for people who are interested in our services to find out more about current and new ways we help people living with cancer while offering a way for people to support specific projects.