The ‘Outstanding Supporter Award’ is for those who used their initiative to do something to help Macmillan. Such as organising fundraising activities, taking on an incredible challenge, raising awareness, or doing something outstanding for their community. The 2023 winners is the Northern Ireland Cancer Experience Panel. The Panel use their lived experience to ensure better experiences for others, by campaigning, lobbying and even helping with recruiting in local hospitals and health trusts.
Macmillan’s Northern Ireland Cancer Experience Panel formed in 2018 to enrich Macmillan’s knowledge and understanding of the experiences and the needs of people living with cancer. Since then, the panel’s 18 members have used their own cancer journeys along with their considerable life skills and professional expertise to help shape and improve Macmillan’s services.
The panel’s work is as diverse as they are themselves. Not only do panel members act as peer facilitators to get feedback on the experiences of other cancer patients, but they also lobby, campaign, consult and sit on Macmillan recruitment panels.
‘Ultimately, what we want to do is make a smoother path for those people who are coming behind us,’ says panel member Lesley Kerr.
‘Macmillan are very reactive to our insights,’ adds panel member Ray McCrea. ‘Having people with lived experience on board is not a token gesture by any means – it's an entire and complete commitment.’
Find out more about the Thanks to You Awards.