Macmillan Moments

Adele S, Durham - for raising over £13,000 for Macmillan by selling her drawings and calendars in local businesses

Alan W, Glasgow - for the dedication and incredible intuition which he shows in his Buddy role, helping us to improve the overall service. He has made a great difference to the wellbeing of his service users, with one of them saying: "I have no family or friends. Alan lifts my isolation as well as helping me with any query I may have. I am impatiently awaiting his weekly visit. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful service"

Alex C, Shetland Islands - for being a fantastic Macmillan Buddy, taking the time to listen, offering the right support, and creating a non-judgmental space for their service user to talk about what they are feeling and what they need

Andrea Jane P, Aberdeen - for going above and beyond in their role as a Macmillan Buddy, providing a safe space for their service user to chat on the phone and signposting to all suitable additional support needs

Andy W, Wirral - for his incredibly enthusiasm and commitment to the Volunteer Voice Network, offering his professional skills to support and benefit Macmillan

Beryl P, Newcastle upon Tyne - for her incredible fundraising through coffee mornings, ladies' luncheons and Christmas gifts, raising over £18,000 to date

Beverley B, Lancashire - for her commitment and dedication to volunteering as a Macmillan Buddy, taking time out of her incredibly busy days to ensure she can offer flexible and positive support to her service users

Brian C, Craigavon - for being an incredibly inspiring Macmillan Buddy volunteer, offering support, empathy and humour to those he supports, with services users quoting that he is a ‘lifeline during my dark days’

Brian H, Lee-On-The-Solent - for his passion for supporting Macmillan, opening up new opportunities through his local volunteer fair and inspiring others to get involved

Briony C, Nottinghamshire - for going above and beyond in her role, always putting herself forward for involvement activities, and using her unique perspective to input to organisational projects through the Volunteer Voice Network

Camberley Committee, Camberley - for their incredible support and fundraising, raising over £1.8 million over the last 23 years, and going the extra mile to ensure every event is a success

Carol T, Westcliff-on-Sea - for being kind, caring and always ready to help. Carol offers as much help as possible, through her Macmillan Buddy role, and in peer support sessions, sharing her ideas and knowledge with other volunteers

Ciaran M, Taunton - for their commitment to making Macmillan's partnership with Toolstation a success! Without them, Toolstation would not have hit the £2 million fundraising milestone and gained a 2-year partnership estimated to raise £750k in 2024. Their partnership manager says 'no challenge is too big, which they meet with practical solutions and are open to new opportunities for fundraising and support message.'

Claire L, Folkestone - for her passion in raising awareness at her workplace and leading on a new project called Cancer Care @ Merlin. Whilst supporting people in her workplace affected by cancer, she also supports Macmillan with invaluable insight to improve our services

Clare A, St Annes - for taking the time to give an awareness talk to St James Church, which inspired people to donate and raised over £600, which can help Macmillan support 29 people through our free support line

Danielle G, Newcastle upon Tyne - for the vital support, fundraising, and awareness-raising throughout the past year that makes such a difference to our work locally. In particular, for working so hard to raise an incredible £3k at a recent event

Dave D, Sunderland - for raising an incredible £6,957.50 by completing the Coast to Castles cycle ride, and receiving support and matched funding from his employers Vertu Motors

Debbie W, Sunderland - for her amazing fundraising work (having raised over £29k to date!), volunteering at a range of events across 2023, and getting her employer TSB on board to support Macmillan. Her fundraising manager writes 'she is a huge inspiration'

Dennis C, Scotland - for going above and beyond, offering 5 days a week to his lead volunteering role, and promoting Macmillan at every opportunity. Whether that’s out in the community, on his local radio show, or whilst he is abseiling across the Clyde - if Dennis was a stick of Blackpool Rock, the inside would read Macmillan!

Derek P, Carnmoney - for providing support and companionship to patients on the ward, remaining positive, upbeat and warming throughout, ensuring patients are not alone. He is always willing to help out, and is an incredible support to those terminally ill and lonely

Diana D, Auchterarder - for opening her heart to provide regular support to service users in her role as a Macmillan Buddy. She remembers key events through conversations, building close relationships and maximising the support provided through her excellent knowledge and experiences

Don G, North Shields - for their incredible hard work in putting on events every year, bringing the community together, spreading vital awareness, and raising over £21,000

Doris D, Lisburn - for the adaptability, knowledge, empathy and care she brings to her Buddy role. The experience she brings and approach to supporting her service users and fellow volunteers makes such a positive impact, and her volunteer manager writes 'it is an absolute privilege to work with Doris who consistently volunteers with such heart. Nothing is ever too much trouble and she is so empathetic, dedicated, and passionate about sharing her own cancer journey to provide both hope and support to others living with cancer'

Evelyn R, Ballymena - for her positive and dedicated commitment to ensuring all information, signage and booklets is up to date and correct within Laurel House. Without this support, the stands would not function, and her support impacts both professional staff and patients, ensuring they all have everything they need, when they need it

Geraldine C, Antrim - for her dedication to volunteering at the Macmillan Unit for the last 12 years, never missing a week. Striving to give patients, families and friends the best service possible when providing different treatments to manage pain, often creating relaxing and comfortable spaces that allow patients to switch off and forget about their worries for a second

Gerry L, Belfast - for inspiring others to get involved with his passion, commitment and support to other volunteers in the Lead Volunteer role, and his dedication and empathy when supporting men living with cancer to open up and talk through their fears, worries and anger

Graham F, Aberdeen - for his dedication to the Macmillan Buddy role, providing a listening ear to service users, and ensuring there is a non-judgmental space for users to feel supported and heard

Heather M, Ballymena - for going the extra mile throughout her volunteering, demonstrating a commitment to high-quality care, and being that reassuring presence to anyone new and settling into Laurel House

Helen B, Stirling - for supporting her Volunteer Manager with the Buddy matching process and bringing positivity, knowledge and flexibility into her role as a Lead Volunteer

Iris R, County Antrim - for the empathy and heart she brings to her Buddy role, in particular for the extra help she has shown in sharing her own cancer journey to help volunteer recruitment and securing PR in her local area. Her volunteer manager writes 'Iris is such a warm genuine volunteer who knows when it is appropriate to talk and when to listen. She treats each service user as an individual and tailors her conversation and advice accordingly'

Ivy M, Hampshire - for bringing outstanding accounting knowledge and a sunny personality into her role as Treasurer of the Camberley Committee, and for helping to raise £10.5K at a high-profile tasting dinner at a local 5-star hotel

Jack P, Lancashire - for bringing a positive and inspirational attitude to his role as a Macmillan Buddy, while supporting people living with cancer through some difficult situations by offering emotional support and signposting to other services

Jan W, Newmarket - for the patience and kindness she shows for the people she supports in her Buddy volunteer role; she regularly receives such positive feedback from her service users, and always finds a way to connect with people and accept them for who they are

Macmillan Toon Angels Fundraising Group, Newcastle upon Tyne - for their passion and enthusiasm in doing whatever it takes to help people affected by cancer, and their fantastic fundraising which has resulted in nearly £150K to date

James T, Cardiff - for his enthusiasm and willingness to help out in his role as an Action Team Lead, and for his support in delivering a great experience to volunteers at events and creating a happy and comfortable environment where everyone feels included

Janet P, Carnmoney - for dedicating over 20 years as a volunteer beauty therapist, helping both patients and their loved ones to look good and feel special when they're going through a difficult time and for treating them with great empathy and respect

Janice P, Glenrothes - for bringing courage and commitment into her role as a Macmillan Buddy volunteer, and for being such a positive part of people's cancer experience

Janie H, Gwent - for dedicating over 30 years to Macmillan; in that time, she has directly contributed more than £500K as part of the Caerphilly Committee, represented Macmillan at hundreds of fundraising events and presentations, and played her part in raising awareness and vital funds in order to build the Macmillan Unit at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfi

The Golders Green Santander Team - for their energy, creativity, and yummy efforts for Macmillan Coffee Morning 2023

Jeffrey N, London - for his commitment and engagement as a member of the Volunteer Voice Network from its launch, and for always engaging in tasks and bringing a unique perspective to a range of involvement activities

Jo L-B, Wrexham - for raising over £6,000 by completing two half marathons and for being a fantastic ambassador for Macmillan at The Senedd's Coffee Morning

Joanne J, Newcastle upon Tyne - for the passion and hard work that her and her family put into their Coffee Morning events each year, raising crucial awareness about Macmillan's services and also fundraising over £12K since 2013

Josephine P, Carrickfergus - for her kindness and empathy and for really taking the time to get to know each service user in her role as a Macmillan Buddy, treating them as an individual to ensure all their vital needs are met and that her advice and conversation is tailored to each person she supports

Kasia K, Nottingham - for enabling the service she volunteers for to provide translation and support for people in Polish, enabling the clients to talk freely about their experiences of cancer and treatment and concerns they have. Without her, the service would be able to help far fewer people. One of her clients writes 'Kasia has a heart of gold, there needs to be more women like Kasia'

Kat S, Lowestoft - for taking on multiple running challenges in 2023, raising over £335 for Macmillian, and being an all-round amazing, kind and caring person

Kathleen H, Turriff - for the fantastic emotional support she has provided in her Buddy role to a service user going through their cancer experience, providing a non-judgemental space for them to talk about what they are feeling

Kathryn R, Chorley - for her adaptability and flexibility as a Macmillan Buddy, and always being willing to take on additional support as well as supporting and encouraging new volunteers

Kelly H, Bristol - for her hard work and commitment as a Macmillan Buddy and for making a difference to the life of her service user who is end of life, helping with household chores but also taking the time to sit with her service user and listen to the various challenges she is facing

Kenneth H and the Elvaston Bowls Club, Newcastle upon Tyne - for raising vital awareness of Macmillan in the North East and doing some brilliant fundraising throughout 2023

Kevin G, Tyne and Wear - for being a wonderful and enthusiastic ambassador for Macmillan, raising vital awareness in his community and delivering an amazing event every year

Laura C, Middlesborough - for her passion and amazing fundraising in memory of her grandparents, raising nearly £56K to date

Lee G, Bristol - for bringing such kindness into her role as a Macmillan Buddy, giving her service user the motivation to get out of the house and overcome the anxiety she was experiencing, enhancing her wellbeing

Lesley L, Newcastle upon Tyne - for her positive energy and attitude in raising vital awareness of Macmillan and fundraising over £10K alongside her team

Linda F, Luton - for being a constant support for people living with cancer in her role as a Macmillan Buddy over the years; she has helped many people process their diagnosis, build confidence, and has provided a safe space where people can open up and feel heard

Linny J, Bristol - for enthusiastically getting stuck into various roles for Macmillan; supporting two service users in her role as a Macmillan Buddy and making them laugh and smile, keeping walkers' spirits up at the Wye Valley Mighty Hike, and helping to attract more volunteers in the Bristol area by taking part in a Buddy volunteer case study 

Mabel Q, Dunmurry - for lifting the spirits of patients, their loved ones and staff by playing piano for them at the Macmillan Unit, making the place feel more like home and evoking memories

Margaret R, Bangor - for the wealth of experience and passion for making a difference that she brings to her role as a Buddy volunteer. Her volunteer manager writes 'due to Margaret's honest yet empathetic support, the service user feels calmer and more able to deal with her cancer diagnosis'

Maria M-A, Sherwood - for being a committed and caring volunteer who despite working full time, still manages to find time to provide emotional support to people affected by cancer. Her ability to speak Spanish has meant that the service has been able to brilliantly support some people through their cancer diagnosis who speak little English

Mariola and the whole Brent Cross Santander Team - for their energy, creativity, and yummy efforts for Macmillan Coffee Morning 2023

Matthew L, Cheadle - for taking on the support of complex service users who need support at home in his role as a Macmillan Buddy and never missing a visit, despite his busy job as an airline pilot

Matthew M, Dunbartonshire - for the resilience, determination and strength shown through his Macmillan Buddy volunteer role, and for taking part in a sponsored run for Macmillan in October

Maureen M, Antrim - for her incredible work as a gardener at the Macmillan unit, and for ensuring that each patient's patio is looking beautiful no matter what the season is

Maureen M, Belfast - for all her help in inspiring others to get involved with supporting Macmillan, and for the positive attitude and experience she brings to her role as a Macmillan Buddy

Mike D, Durham - for raising an incredible £4.2K+ last year by holding local exhibitions for his stained-glass work and paintings

Moira A, Ross-Shire - for her dedication to being a part of the Black Isle Fundraising Group for over 40 years, and doing so with great humour, enthusiasm, and personality. She played such an essential part in helping the group raise a whopping £17k with their recent Golf Day

Nancy S, North London - for bringing her skills and experience as a former social worker to being a brilliant volunteer Buddy over the past 7 years. At one point she supported 7 people living with cancer at a time, which makes a huge difference to our capacity to support people living with cancer in North London, and regularly receives such positive feedback from those she supports. Her volunteer manager writes 'Nancy is patient, funny, caring and calm - we are lucky to have her'

Nidah H, Preston - for the passion she brings to her Macmillan Buddy role; she is inspiring and has such a positive impact on her service users and helps to recruit new Buddy volunteers

Nina C, Lancashire - for all the support she shows in her role as a Macmillan Buddy, both for her service users and the guidance and insight she shares with the rest of her team 

Peter T, Stockport - for all the support he has shown and time he has given to help Macmillan over the last 6 years, collecting over £24k to date and always being an incredible ambassador for the organisation

The Blaydon Staffs Club, Blaydon on Tyne - for all the support they have shown since 2009, having raised £8.8K and for spreading awareness for Macmillan in their local area

Richard H, Nuneaton - for providing the equipment and expertise to allow the centre's online monthly health and wellbeing events for newly diagnosed patients to take place, always delivering to such a high standard and saving patients from having to travel to the centre. Without him, these simply would not happen. His volunteer manager writes 'having Richard as my right had man allows me more quality time to spend with patients'

Sally S, Newhaven - for being such a dedicated, reliable, professional and altogether amazing Macmillan Buddy over the past 2 years

Sandra A, Livingston - for always being eager and willing to help in her role as a Macmillan Buddy, and for promoting the Buddy service when hosting a recent coffee morning

Sharon J, Shropshire - For her incredible efforts fundraising over £31k for Macmillan by travelling and trekking all over the world, all in memory of her father. She is always willing to support in other ways when she can and is a brilliant advocate for Macmillan.

Shona T, Antrim - for her determination and ingenuity in carrying on hosting 'coffee mornings on wheels' during the pandemic. Through coffee mornings as well as her other fundraising ventures, Shona has raised almost £20K in total for Macmillan to date, and it's all done with passion and care for others.

Sian K, London - for being a reliable, committed and passionate Macmillan Buddy. She makes it clear to her matches that she is fully committed to them, always giving them the time they need to share their feelings

Simon W, Westerham - for the dedication he has given to being a Macmillan Buddy over the past year, both in his support sessions and to his peers. Service users he has been matched with have said after speaking with Simon they felt 'more relaxed' and 'valued his understanding'

Sonal V, Kincardineshire - for the support Sonal has provided to people going through a cancer experience as a Macmillan Buddy, ensuring their service user always has a non-judgemental listening ear and always talking through solutions and signposting where it's needed

Sophie W, Nottingham - for the emotional support she has provided clients at the Macmillan Beyond Diagnosis Service for the past 2 years. The empathy and understanding she shows is so appreciated - one person she supported said: “Sophie helped me because I don't open up easily. She was very easy to talk to."

Steve W, Bishop Auckland - for all of his fantastic fundraising efforts over the past 3 years, totalling over £7k

Stewart B, Chester Le Street - for the Golf Day he held in 2023 which raised a brilliant £2.2K+, and furthermore sourcing goody bags for the Fundraising Conference

Susan H, Newtownabbey - for being a committed and dedicated volunteer at the Laurel House, and for doing what she does with exceptional strength and joy. The support she shows service users, fellow volunteers and staff members is so appreciated

Tazmin H, North Shields - for the passion and ambition she brings to her fundraising and efforts to raise awareness for Macmillan. She puts her passion for music and fundraising together, and the heart she puts into this shines through

Adele P, Auchtermuchty - for always giving her absolute all and effortlessly building a rapport with the people she supports as a Buddy, encouraging those around her to be their best for people living with cancer. Her volunteer manager writes, 'I'm so thankful for Adele and look forward to witnessing her positive influence in people's cancer paths throughout 2024!' 

Alex H, Middlesbrough - for his volunteering in the Chemo Day Unit at James Cook Hospital since 2014. Despite his own health struggles, he provides such fantastic support and advice to people at the Unit, over the phone, as well as being a patient representative which his volunteer manager writes 'is invaluable in shaping services for the future.' 

Alison M, Old Portsmouth - for creating such a warm, friendly and supportive environment for visitors to her local centre, and for supporting another volunteer to feel more confident in their role. She is always looking for ways she can improve visitor experience (despite already doing such a great job!) 

Amanda N, Bognor Regis - for dedicating so much time to Macmillan Quality Environment Mark assessments, completing 80 assessments since 2010! She assesses from a patient perspective to ensure others have the best experience possible, is able to assess things quickly and come up with suggestions for improvement, and is fiercely loyal and unwavering in her support for Macmillan.

Anne J, Southsea - for helping other volunteers regain their confidence post-Covid shutdown and for always supporting events at the Trust.

Clive C, Lincoln - for his diligence and thoughtfulness as a Cancer Information Reviewer over the past 2 years, helping to maintain the usefulness and relevance of patient information.

David G, Dundee - for providing a warm and safe space for the person living with cancer he is supporting in his Buddy role. He really centres the person he is supporting and shares his wisdom to help other Buddies grow in their role. His volunteer manager says, 'I feel so lucky to work with someone who is so passionate about supporting others.' 

Dick L, Corsham - for all his support over the past 10 years as a dedicated and committed volunteer supporting people living with cancer, offering his services with ‘zest, zeal and enthusiasm’. He can always be relied upon to provide an open ear and to take on more sensitive referrals.

Fiona S, Telford - For diligently and thoughtfully supporting Macmillan over the past 8 years by reviewing our patient information. By sharing her lived experience, she has allowed us to improve our content and ensure it is as helpful and relevant to as many people as possible.

Gilly F, London - for the numerous events she has attended as an Action Team Member, and kindness, experience and insightfulness she has brought to her Telephone Buddy role over the past 4 years. One service user said, 'I feel she's a friend to me.' 

Helen C, Ottery St. Mary - for her invaluable support in ensuring patient information is relevant and helpful in her role as a Cancer Information Reviewer over the past 2 years.

Iona L, Shieldaig - for sharing her lived experience as a Cancer Information Reviewer for the past 7 years to help us make our Cancer Information the best it can be. Her volunteer manager writes, 'Iona always reviews our information so diligently and thoughtfully.' 

Jane T, Langport - for the kindness and support she offers people as an Online Community Champion, sharing on her own cancer journey and maintaining the culture of our community by ensuring no post goes unreplied to. A community member said, 'You have helped me to save myself, and I thank you.'  

Jez H, London - for helping the Cancer Information Development team improve Macmillan information products, ensuring patient information is as relevant and helpful as possible. 

Jo H, Waterlooville - for handling her first match as a new Buddy volunteer so brilliantly. She has used her own experience to enrich the support she provides whilst always making sure the person she is supporting is at the centre of the conversation. 

Judith B, Portchester - for going above and beyond as a Meet and Greet Volunteer, showing genuine care and empathy to everyone who walks through the door - and for making hot chocolates at the Christmas Fair! 

Judy L, Surrey - for sharing her own lived experience of cancer and diligently reviewing patient information to ensure it is as relevant and helpful as possible.

Julia D, Ipswich - for all the care, effort and insight she has brought to her Cancer Information Reviewer role over the past 7 years. By sharing her insight from her own cancer experience, she allows us to make the information we provide so much more useful for others going through a cancer journey. 

Karen H, Dollar - for showing such compassion and dedication during her recent matches as a Buddy volunteer, always seeking to ask, 'what more could Macmillan do for this person?' Thank you for being such a champion for Macmillan. 

Karrie W, Waterlooville - for all her support with our Trust Christmas fair and for providing complementary therapy to our patients going through treatment; the patients she helps love their treatments with her and ‘walk out of our centre feeling as though they're walking on air.’ 

Kathy M, Worsley - for being such a valued member of the Cancer Information Reviewer Team for the past 2 years. She is always happy to take on extra reviews if needed and helps us to learn from her lived experience of cancer to ensure our patient information is as relevant and accessible as it can be. 

Maryam J, Edinburgh - for sharing incredible illustration and animation skills that have sparked team creativity to develop a storyboard and video script for testing as part of a new Macmillan project. 

Maureen J, Waterlooville - for dedicating 15 years as a Meet and Greet volunteer; she is a fountain of knowledge and always has a big smile on her face, and the hospital would be lost without her. 

Paula D, Leominster - for hosting amazing Coffee Morning events, raising an incredible £3,246 in 2023 (the most raised at a Coffee Morning by any supporter in the whole of Herefordshire) and overall, a fantastic £17,637 since she started hosting in 2014. 

Ros J, Grangetown - for always going the extra mile for patients at the Macmillan Information Centre; from supporting with benefits and grants applications, to carrying out a range of fundraising activities, and even launching her own Macmillan Cafe to offer anyone affected by cancer a space to chat. 

Ros J, Wokingham - for being a core member of the Cancer Information Reviewer Team, always reviewing our information diligently and thoughtfully and sharing her own lived experience of cancer to help improve our content. Her volunteer manager writes 'Ros's support is invaluable.' 

Sandy M, Dartford - for being a gentle, empathetic, kind and patient Buddy volunteer for the past year. One person she supported even said 'she's amazing, in fact she inspired me to become a volunteer myself!' An extra thank you for the peer support she provides for other buddies, and volunteering she does as an Action Team Member! 

Sarah D, Rojales (Spain) - for dedicating so much of her time to passionately fundraising for Macmillan and for always going above and beyond with the volunteer work she does.

Sharon H, Gravesend - for being such a valuable Buddy Volunteer over the past 10 years. Her volunteer manager writes 'I feel confident matching Sharon with people who have additional needs or complex situations, always bringing a non-judgmental and patient approach to her matches.' 

Skye K, Towcester - for the bravery and determination she shows in sharing her own cancer experience to support and educate others on the importance of cervical screening in her workplace and local hospital. Her colleague describes her as 'simply extraordinary.'   

Sue T, Hailsham - for being so encouraging and informative with her first match as a Buddy. She offers a warm and safe space for them to offload and brings such value and dedication to the team. Her volunteer manager writes, 'I've been blown away.' 

Sue W, Brixham - for her extraordinary leadership in managing Brixham Charity Shop and building a team of motivated and committed volunteers. Her commitment, passion, and selflessness over the past 10 years have been the driving force behind the shop's incredible fundraising achievement of £200,000.

Susan P, Seaford - for organising some fantastic fundraising for Macmillan in the Seaford Branch of Santander, and coming up with brilliant ideas for new ways to support Macmillan. 

Terry L, West Bromwich - for hosting his Haunted Trail of Terror at Halloween at his house for the past two years, which has helped to raise an incredible £5,132.65! Terry puts in so much work and personal cost, and along with his volunteers, raises an amazing amount with a raffle and bake sale. 

The Macmillan Active Walking Group Leaders (Carol, Lynda, Tom, Moira and Terry) - for giving their time, come rain or shine to lead the Macmillan Active walks, and for making sure that all walks are welcoming, safe and inclusive for all abilities, ensuring all our walkers are safe and happy.