Recognising those working with and within communities to raise awareness and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer, with a focus on supporting people who are under-served or experiencing deprivation.
Macmillan Cancer Champions - Global South Groups, Bristol
Image: Macmillan Cancer Champions - Global South Groups, Bristol. Left to Right: Cancer Champion, Aaruni Suresh, Saliha Ahmed, Tracey Mulzac, Huda Ismail, Cancer ChampionIn Bristol’s inner city, where stigma, language barriers and mistrust can prevent people from seeking help, the Macmillan Bristol Cancer Champions programme trains local people affected by cancer to support others within their own communities.
The team’s 33 Cancer Champion volunteers, who speak nine different languages between them, share their lived experience, run cancer awareness events, and guide people towards screening and support on their own terms. As a result, underserved populations are empowered to engage with care earlier and build trust in the healthcare system. The Cancer Champions’ visible presence at community events – always proudly wearing Macmillan branding – helps shift cultural perceptions too, reinforcing the idea that cancer support is for everyone and belongs within every community.
“It can make all the difference when someone with cancer knows that there is someone there for them – someone who speaks their language, who knows how to navigate the health system, and who can demystify things for them,” says Macmillan Cancer Health Inequality Manager Saliha Ahmed.
Rural Communities Cancer Project - The Farming Community Network
Image: Rural Communities Cancer Project - The Farming Community Network Top row left to right: Linda Jones, Sheena Horner, Rachael Aka, David Jamieson, George Doherty, Dave Gregory, Trish Kilner, Kate White, Judith Crawford.
Bottom row: Shelley Allen, Alex Phillimore, Sam Evans. In farming communities, cancer can be harder to talk about – and more difficult to act on – due to isolation, long travel distances, demanding work patterns and limited local services. The Farming Community Network’s Rural Communities Cancer Project is addressing all of these barriers and more by taking trusted, practical support directly into farming, rural and migrant worker communities across the UK.
Working in partnership with Macmillan and sector organisations, the team has developed targeted initiatives shaped by lived experience, including the flagship Nip it in the Bud campaign promoting early detection and screening. By talking to people at agricultural shows and farmers’ marts, and by using real stories from within the community to challenge stigma, the project is normalising conversations about cancer, improving awareness, and strengthening referral pathways into support.
“Collaboration has been a really important part of this,” says UK Project Lead Alex Phillimore. “We are a small team, but by working with a variety of organisations across the industry, we are really helping the message to travel.”
Calderdale Cancer Aware - Halifax Opportunities Trust
Image: Calderdale Cancer Aware - Halifax Opportunities Trust. From left to right: Rachel Porter (Team manager), Ilyas Najib (Engagement worker), Parveen Najib (Engagement worker), Sarah Thorne (Engagement worker), Sadia Wadjid (Engagement worker). In Calderdale, West Yorkshire, cancer is more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage and the health inequalities are stark. But the Calderdale Cancer Aware Team is improving outcomes in some of the borough’s most ethnically diverse and deprived communities by supporting people to seek help earlier, engage with screening, and access the services they need.
The project, which is delivered in partnership with Halifax Opportunities Trust, is dedicated to building strong relationships within the community to raise cancer awareness, overcome taboos, and remove barriers to care. The passionate team of Community Engagement Workers and growing network of trained Cancer Champions have developed an array of culturally sensitive initiatives such as drop-in sessions in mosques and Chat and Chai events.
“Healthcare services want to work with us because they’ve seen that our community-focused approach really works,” explains Cancer Community Engagement Manager Rachel Porter. “We take healthcare services to the places where community members feel safe and comfortable. This allows for informal conversations and builds trust.”
Cancer Community Project / C Aware Programme - The Fishermen’s Mission
Image: Cancer Community Project / C Aware Programme - The Fishermen’s Mission. Left to right Rajan Nair, Deb Johnstone and Lynne Carr.For people in the fishing community, cancer has long been a taboo subject, and working patterns often leave little room for healthcare. C Aware, a programme delivered in partnership with The Fishermen’s Mission, is changing this by bringing cancer awareness and support directly onto the North Shields Fish Quay.
Led by Cancer Community Programme Manager Deb Johnstone, the programme has been co-produced with the fishing community from the outset and built through daily presence. The small team and its network of Cancer Champions, drawn from active and former fishermen and their families, meets people where they are, on land or at sea.
As a result, cancer awareness is increasing, trust in services is growing, and more people are engaging with screening and seeking help earlier. The Community Champions even hosted their own Macmillan Coffee Mornings, both on the Fish Quay and the North Sea!
“There’s so much value in having gentle conversations about cancer in the fishermen’s workplace,” says Deb. “It’s allowed us to bridge the gap and connect them to healthcare providers.”
Recognising those who actively reduce inequities in cancer care, ensuring everyone has access to the best possible support.
2026 Finalists
Macmillan Information & Support Service: PRIDE in Health - Whittington Health NHS
Image: Macmillan Information & Support Service: PRIDE in Health - Whittington Health NHS. Left to right: Philip Barnes, Tracey Palmer and Sheik Pahary.Fear of discrimination and assumptions made by healthcare professionals can prevent LGBTQIA+ people affected by cancer from accessing the screening and support they need. Striving to change this, the Macmillan Information & Support Service at Whittington Health NHS Trust devised the PRIDE in Health project.
Working with LGBTQIA+ patients and theatre company Wake the Beast, the team co-designed focus groups, lived-experience performances, and a training programme incorporating a powerful video to improve how professionals communicate and deliver personalised care. Now used across healthcare settings, the training equips staff with practical tools to make small but meaningful changes to support patients in feeling seen, respected and confident in services. In short, the innovative project is improving access, strengthening trust and embedding more inclusive care.
“We want colleagues to recognise that it’s all about seeing every person as an individual,” explains Macmillan Trust Lead Cancer Nurse Gemma Ingram-Adams. “This work is a real call to action to communicate in the right way and remove barriers to care.”
St George's Hospital and Can You C Me? - Croydon BME Forum
Image: St George's Hospital and Can You C Me? - Croydon BME Forum. Left to right: Helen Ricketts, Michael Samuel, Unika Cumberbatch-Wynter, Marcella Jenoure, Caitlin Harvey, Salanh Kromah and Zak Miah. Not pictured: Saffron Hanson.People from BME communities can face additional barriers in cancer care, from cultural misconceptions to feeling unheard or misunderstood by healthcare professionals. The Can You C Me? project, led by Croydon BME Forum, tackles these inequities by amplifying the lived experiences of people from diverse communities affected by cancer and working with partners to improve awareness and access to care.
Building on this work, Croydon BME Forum and St George’s Hospital collaborated to produce a series of training films in which people affected by cancer share their experiences of diagnosis, treatment and end-of-life care. Now embedded across staff education at St George’s, the films help teams reflect, challenge bias and improve culturally competent communication. Crucially, the approach creates a feedback loop so participants can see the change their stories inspire, building trust and laying foundations for sustainable, system-wide improvement.
“This project demonstrates the power of collaboration,” says Macmillan Cancer Support and Wellbeing Coordinator Michael Samuel. “It shows what can be achieved when healthcare professionals and a small local charity work together to make a difference.”
Cancer Champions Team - The Rainbow Project
Image: Cancer Champions Team - The Rainbow ProjectIn Northern Ireland, people in the LGBTQIA+ community who are affected by cancer face persistent barriers to screening, support and inclusive care, compounded by gaps in data. The Cancer Champions Team at The Rainbow Project was established to address these inequities and ensure people across the country can access the tailored support they need.
Working in partnership with LGBTQIA+ communities, the team has co-designed solutions shaped by lived experience. Their work includes one-to-one support, myth-busting around screening, inclusive end-of-life spaces, and innovative trans-inclusive screening resources now used across multiple Health Trusts. By combining community insight with training for healthcare professionals, the team is dismantling systemic barriers, improving access to screening, and restoring confidence in services for people who have historically been excluded.
“It is incredible that Northern Ireland has a pioneering LGBTQIA+ cancer service – particularly at a time where people are seeing rights being rolled back,” says Cancer Champions Manager Joe Henson. “We are tackling healthcare inequities and taking steps to restore dignity and person-centred care.”
Carly Rolston, Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist - Cancer Older Peoples Service (COPS), Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
Image: Carly Rolston, Advanced Practitioner Occupational TherapistOlder people with cancer can face barriers that are often overlooked including frailty, functional decline, anxiety, social isolation and long waits for community support. At the Beatson Cancer Centre, Advanced Practitioner Occupational Therapist Carly Rolston has tackled these inequities by embedding occupational therapy (OT) at the heart of the Cancer Older People’s Service.
Carly designed and implemented a first-of-its-kind OT role in Scotland, co-producing interventions with patients to ensure support is holistic, timely and led by what matters most to each individual. The service has expanded outpatient capacity, reduced delays in accessing therapy, and helped older patients navigate treatment choices through realistic medicine coaching and practical resources. By building partnerships across oncology, geriatrics and the third sector Carly has helped shift older people’s cancer care from an ‘add on’ to integral, improving quality of life while supporting treatment continuation.
“This service is allowing us to do OT without borders,” says Carly. “It’s changing the way older people with cancer receive their care in this part of the world forever.”
Celebrating early-career professionals who show exceptional promise and a strong commitment to transforming cancer care for the future.
2026 Finalists
Deborah Ellis, Future Care Planning CNS - Mersey West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Image: Deborah Ellis, Future Care Planning CNSMany people living with treatable but not curable cancer benefit from future care planning – simple, person-led conversations that help someone record what matters to them, and the kind of care and support they want as things change. At Mersey West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Future Care Planning CNS Deborah Ellis has shown outstanding early leadership by making these conversations clearer, more accessible and easier for teams to deliver.
Deborah tackled low confidence and inconsistent practice among staff by stripping away intimidating terminology and creating practical, easy-to-understand training. She also developed patient-friendly resources and a digital future care plan so people can capture their wishes – and teams can see who has been offered support. As a result, both the number of completed plans and the level of staff confidence has risen significantly. What’s more, by sharing learning across the region, Deborah has made future care planning a normal part of cancer care.
“It’s all about normalising these conversations to allow people to think about what they want,” says Deborah.
Chloe North, Living with Cancer Community Development Facilitator - Lincolnshire ICB
Image: Chloe North, Living with Cancer Community Development FacilitatorLiving with cancer can bring complex challenges that sit alongside treatment, from financial pressures to transport and from digital exclusion to isolation. In Lincolnshire, Living with Cancer Community Development Facilitator Chloe North has shown exceptional early leadership by building new ways to connect people with cancer to the right support, at the point they need it.
Working across the system with clinicians, community partners and people with lived experience, Chloe has mapped local assets, developed a trusted Patient Support Request inbox for the cancer workforce, and used holistic needs assessment data to drive action. Her innovations include instigating a pioneering partnership with Anglian Water to ensure nobody goes without water during treatment due to financial worries, alongside initiatives supporting digital access and travel to appointments.
“The key element of my success has been being human,” says Chloe. “You can achieve so much with a smile, compassion and active listening, and genuinely caring about how people are.”
Samuel Nelson, Clinical Specialist Macmillan Physiotherapist - James Paget Hospital
Image: Samuel Nelson, Clinical Specialist Macmillan Physiotherapist As cancer treatments improve and people live longer, more patients are left managing complex side effects that impact their day-to-day lives – often far from major cancer centres. At James Paget Hospital in Norfolk, Clinical Specialist Macmillan Physiotherapist Sam Nelson has addressed this gap by establishing a dedicated cancer physiotherapy service.
Working across the haematology-oncology ward and a new outpatient service, Sam ensures patients are seen quickly and receive tailored input. He has reduced waits for physiotherapy from several days to the same day, significantly improving access to care. Still early in his cancer career, Sam has shown exceptional initiative and leadership, embedding the service within the multidisciplinary team and laying strong foundations for its future growth.
“I can support patients to play the keyboard again or pick their grandkids off the floor,” he says. “I recently helped a patient to get back to using her football season ticket – something she never thought she'd be able to do. These are the things that really matter to people.”
Hospital Palliative Care Team - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Image: Hospital Palliative Care Team - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
Left to right: Kerry Jones, Dr Hannah Osborne, Helen O'Neil, Nicola Hughes, Rhian Smith, Andrea Oliver, Rebecca Donelly, Dr Olivia Grant, Helen May, Dr Zoe King.
In busy hospital wards, patients nearing the end of life can experience distressing noise, interruptions and uncertainty around their care. The Hospital Palliative Care Team at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board recognised this challenge and introduced Every Moment Matters – a co-designed visual symbol that discreetly signals when a patient is dying and needs a calm, dignified environment.
Developed with ward staff, non-clinical teams and families, the initiative empowers all staff to adapt their behaviour, improving communication and compassionate care. Pilot results showed 100% of families felt the symbol – a dandelion clock – created a more peaceful atmosphere, while staff reported fewer interruptions and greater confidence in supporting patients and relatives.
Now rolled out across the Health Board and attracting national interest, this low-cost, multidisciplinary innovation is transforming end-of-life experiences and embedding a culture of dignity.
“It’s incredibly powerful to see such a simple idea change behaviour,” says Project Lead Rhian Smith. “It helps staff provide the calm, respectful care patients and families deserve.”
Brain Tumour Therapy Coordinators - The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Macmillan Brain Tumour Therapy Coordinators Gary Walsh and Anne JammesPeople diagnosed with brain tumours often face complex, life-changing symptoms that can affect speech, mobility and thinking – yet they often don’t receive access to specialist therapy unless their needs are immediately obvious in hospital. At The Walton Centre in Liverpool, Macmillan Brain Tumour Therapy Coordinators Gary Walsh and Anne Jammes recognised this small and often overlooked patient group needed earlier, more coordinated support.
Co-designed with patients, clinicians and regional partners, their innovative service identifies therapy needs from the first neurosurgery appointment and supports people throughout surgery, treatment and beyond. By coordinating referrals, advocating for rehabilitation, and bridging gaps between hospital, oncology and community services, they are improving quality of life, reducing hospital stays and ensuring more equitable access to care. The team continues to refine the service through ongoing patient feedback and collaboration across the pathway.
“Patients have described us as the missing piece of the puzzle,” explains Anne. “It’s a real privilege to be able to support people with the things that are most important to them.”
Wirral Integrated Cancer Support
Image: Wirral Integrated Cancer Support. Left to right: Joshua Grace, Elizabeth Ryan, Sarah Martingell, Alison Thomas, Lucy Holmes, Tracey Pilgrim, Katie Neely, Gaynor Jones.
After a cancer diagnosis, many people need support that goes beyond clinical treatment, whether it’s about financial worries, emotional wellbeing, family life, or returning to work. The Wirral Integrated Cancer Support Service (WICS) was created to close the gap between hospital and community services, ensuring patients do not feel support ends at the hospital doors.
A pioneering partnership between One Wirral CIC and Wirral University Teaching Hospital, WICS has been co-produced with patients, carers, professionals and community organisations, and fully embedded within clinical pathways. Using Macmillan’s HNA platform to share care plans across teams, the service offers follow-up holistic needs assessments in community settings such as libraries, cafés and homes. In its first 10 months alone, over 470 patients have been set up on the Macmillan eHNA platform improving access, reducing duplication and helping patients to feel more informed and less isolated.
“It’s amazing what we can achieve through integrated partnership working and listening to what matters most to patients, enabling personalised, seamless cancer care across Wirral” says Macmillan Integrated Personalised Care Lead Nurse Gail Fitzgerald.
Cancer Psychological Services Barts Health NHS Trust
Image: Cancer Psychological Services Team - Barts Health NHS Trust. Sophy Molloy; Elzbieta Lorenc; Anna Magnowska; Davina Moses; Caroline Dancyger; Isabelle Evans; Maggie Karanasiou; Jamie-Lee CronjeAt Barts Health NHS Trust, the Cancer Psychological Services team has transformed access to psychological support for people with cancer by expanding beyond the main cancer centre and embedding services across multiple hospital sites. Responding to longstanding gaps in provision, the team has worked in partnership with colleagues, patients and local services to co-design a more flexible model of care. This includes one-to-one clinical psychology, art psychotherapy, neuropsychology assessments, and a range of workshops that combine guided psychological support with peer connection.
This innovation is improving access for people who might otherwise miss out, including those needing care closer to home or interpreter support. The team continues to adapt the service through feedback, relationship-building and cross-site collaboration, while strengthening pathways with cancer teams, palliative care and local talking therapies to improve patient experience and outcomes.
“A lot of people call it a lifeline,” says Clinical Psychologist Maggie Karanasiou. “Having psychological support helps people with cancer to navigate this really turbulent time and find ways to cope.”
Recognising outstanding individuals who embody Macmillan’s values of heart, strength, and ambition - always going above and beyond to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. This award has two subcategories:
Clinical Expertise
For those in registered or specialist clinical roles who deliver, lead or innovate in the provision of cancer care and support.
2026 Finalists
Sabina Khan, Macmillan Consultant Head & Neck Therapeutic Radiographer (Late Effects) - University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Sabina Khan, Macmillan Consultant Head & Neck Therapeutic Radiographer (Late Effects).People living beyond head and neck cancer often experience long-term radiotherapy side-effects that can affect speech, swallowing and daily life. At University College London Hospital, Consultant Head and Neck Therapeutic Radiographer Sabina Khan recognised this gap and established a pioneering late-effects clinic focusing solely on the those treated with radiotherapy, to ensure patients are not left to cope alone.
Drawing on deep clinical expertise, Sabina delivers personalised, holistic care shaped by patient-reported outcomes. With support from her MDT and full patient involvement, she has built this first-of-its-kind service from the ground up, introducing support groups, flexible appointments and personalised care plans to help people take back control. Her determination has transformed fragmented follow-up into proactive support that vastly improves quality of life and reduces avoidable crises.
“The ethos of this service is to help people live better after cancer treatment, not just to survive,” explains Sabina. “I’m really proud of it because I’m passionate about tackling health inequalities, advocating for patients, and ensuring they are part of the discussion about their survivorship journey.”
Rob Buller, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Rob Buller, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation TrustFrom speech to breathing and appearance to swallowing, head and neck cancer can affect some of the most fundamental aspects of daily life. At University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Trust, Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist Rob Buller provides timely expert holistic support to people navigating these complex difficulties.
Alongside running nurse-led clinics, undertaking home visits, prescribing independently and offering specialist training to colleagues and patients’ families, Rob is also known for human acts of kindness that make a lasting difference. His commitment to attending to the needs of his patients whenever and wherever possible enables earlier intervention, helping to reduce avoidable delays, distress and hospital admissions. He also plays a key leadership role within the service, helping to grow and shape a multidisciplinary CNS team to meet rising demand.
“I’m proud that I can offer patients easy access to support,” says Rob. “I can do that because I can prescribe, assess, and make clinical decisions. It makes a huge difference.”
Sarah Pilsworth, Macmillan Senior Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Cambridge University Hospitals
Image: Sarah Pilsworth, Macmillan Senior Specialist Speech & Language TherapistFor people living with head and neck cancer, losing the ability to speak or swallow can be life changing. At Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Sarah Pilsworth uses her clinical expertise to ensure patients dealing with these issues receive the personalised, equitable support they need.
By combining innovation, leadership and compassion, Sarah delivers a truly bespoke service. Her pioneering work includes adapting voice prostheses to enable safe, effective communication for laryngectomy patients, as well as creating vital long-standing patient support groups. Alongside this, she is passionate about sharing her extensive knowledge to empower other speech and language therapists locally and nationally through the forums and networks she has established.
“So many patients have told us that our service has enabled them to live as normally as they can after life-changing surgery,” says Sarah. “Cancer treatment is tough, and we’re here to support them through it. It’s incredibly rewarding, and I’m lucky to work with such a dedicated, supportive team.”
Vital Support
For individuals in any role who provide emotional, practical or community-based support – without needing clinical registration.
2026 Finalists
Estelle Le Galliot, Macmillan Centre & Personalised Care Manager - Croydon
Image: Estelle Le Galliot, Macmillan Centre & Personalised Care Manager Life after cancer doesn’t always follow a clinical pathway – and neither does the support people need. At the Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service at Croydon University Hospital, Macmillan Centre and Personalised Care Manager Estelle Le Galliot takes a creative, non-traditional approach. Whether she’s supporting people over the phone, via webinars, or strolling alongside them at a walking group, she meets people where they are.
Thanks to Estelle’s innovative ideas and unwavering commitment, she has transformed the centre into a thriving community hub. Driven to find practical solutions that rebuild people’s confidence after cancer treatment, she’s launched everything from sleep workshops to cooking classes, and from fitness and art sessions to fatigue and brain fog workshops. Alongside this, she’s been instrumental in boosting the completion rate of holistic needs assessments to over 80%.
“Often all people need is a little nudge and the confidence to know they can do something,” says Estelle. “I like to empower people and make them feel good about themselves.”
Karen Gough, Macmillan Welfare Rights Adviser and Project Lead - Citizens Advice Bath & North East Somerset
Image: Karen Gough, Macmillan Welfare Rights Adviser and Project Lead For people affected by cancer, navigating benefits, debt and financial insecurity can often feel overwhelming. At Citizens Advice Bath & North East Somerset, Macmillan Welfare Rights Adviser and Project Lead Karen Gough goes the extra mile to ensure nobody is left to face these pressures alone.
Karen leads a compassionate, person-centred service that offers vital advice, advocacy and reassurance. She and her team provide face-to-face, email and telephone support, undertake home visits, and make warm referrals so people don’t have to navigate complex systems alone. Despite rising demand, she has grown a holistic service that’s integral to Macmillan’s offer. Alongside frontline work, she is also passionate about providing training and education, and raising awareness of non-clinical support available.
“People with cancer have a financial journey as well as a clinical journey,” explains Karen. “They often feel that they are heading towards the edge of a cliff, but our service pulls people back from the cliff edge. What we do is crucial to the bigger picture. We’re a port in a storm.”
Sarah Plant, Deputy Macmillan Information and Support Manager - Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Image: Sarah Plant, Deputy Macmillan Information and Support Manager Sarah Plant has played a pivotal role in transforming the Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust into a highly visible, deeply responsive source of support for people affected by cancer. Following years without a suitable patient-facing base, Sarah helped the service to rebuild its profile across hospital and community settings, culminating in the opening of a new centre in 2024 and a major increase in patient contacts.
Alongside leading compassionate day-to-day support, she has also developed practical new initiatives including resources to help parents talk to children about cancer, and a new staff toolkit for colleagues with cancer. Her holistic approach combines emotional support, service development, staff training and partnership working to ensure people feel heard, informed and supported at every stage.
“Even a small amount of support can mean everything to someone,” says Sarah. “When we close the centre at the end of the day, we know that we have helped people, and there’s a great sense of pride in that.”
