Kate was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Receiving a cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down but Kate found great comfort in the care she received from her healthcare professionals as well as the support and information she received from charities like Macmillan. Kate wanted to give something back and started as a Macmillan volunteer in 2022, whilst still receiving treatment.
"My first volunteer role was with Macmillan’s Innovation Programme where I provided my views as someone living with cancer on potential investments made by Macmillan to help develop new ways to transform the lives of people with cancer. With other lived experience volunteers, I informed the development of a medical device, Neutrocheck - a finger-prick blood test which helps doctors to identify patients at risk of neutropenic sepsis - to ensure that the device is easy to use and instructions easy to follow. Since then, I have joined the Cancer Information Reviewer and Cancer Voices teams. In these roles, I review cancer information and provide my lived experience to influence Macmillan’s work. I am also a member of UK Volunteer Forum, representing the voice of volunteers to influence and shape the future direction of volunteering across Macmillan”.
"My first volunteer role was with Macmillan’s Innovation Programme where I provided my views as someone living with cancer on potential investments made by Macmillan to help develop new ways to transform the lives of people with cancer. With other lived experience volunteers, I informed the development of a medical device, Neutrocheck - a finger-prick blood test which helps doctors to identify patients at risk of neutropenic sepsis - to ensure that the device is easy to use and instructions easy to follow. Since then, I have joined the Cancer Information Reviewer and Cancer Voices teams. In these roles, I review cancer information and provide my lived experience to influence Macmillan’s work. I am also a member of UK Volunteer Forum, representing the voice of volunteers to influence and shape the future direction of volunteering across Macmillan”.
'I firmly believe that people living with cancer are best placed to explain how their diagnosis and treatments have impacted them'
Tracy Williams, Service Manager – Clinical Info Development Services at Macmillan says:
“Involving volunteers like Kate in our review process helps to ensure our content is easy to understand, relevant and reflects people’s experience. Our reviewers have all been affected by cancer, and they help us shape our content by identifying gaps in topics or suggesting new formats. They also make sure our information is clear, understandable, and not too overwhelming. We really value the unique perspective and insights our lived experience reviewers bring. We know how busy life can be and we appreciate our volunteers taking the time to help us make our content the best it can be. Huge thanks to Kate and all our volunteers.”
Kate also generously gives her time to support services in communities nearby to her hometown in South Wales. CRT Together is a programme funded by Macmillan and run by Coalfields Regeneration Trust which helps provide people with cancer and their families with emotional and practical support by signposting them to local cancer support services. By sharing her lived experience of someone with cancer from the local area, Kate helped to shape the development and delivery of the programme.
Read more about CRT Together.
“I have participated in a wide range of activities in the last two and a half years since becoming a Macmillan volunteer, the common theme being drawing on my experiences as someone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis and treatment. I firmly believe that people living with cancer are best placed to explain how their diagnosis and treatments have impacted them, and to describe their experiences of using care and support services to bring about change and break down barriers.”
“Involving volunteers like Kate in our review process helps to ensure our content is easy to understand, relevant and reflects people’s experience. Our reviewers have all been affected by cancer, and they help us shape our content by identifying gaps in topics or suggesting new formats. They also make sure our information is clear, understandable, and not too overwhelming. We really value the unique perspective and insights our lived experience reviewers bring. We know how busy life can be and we appreciate our volunteers taking the time to help us make our content the best it can be. Huge thanks to Kate and all our volunteers.”
Kate also generously gives her time to support services in communities nearby to her hometown in South Wales. CRT Together is a programme funded by Macmillan and run by Coalfields Regeneration Trust which helps provide people with cancer and their families with emotional and practical support by signposting them to local cancer support services. By sharing her lived experience of someone with cancer from the local area, Kate helped to shape the development and delivery of the programme.
Read more about CRT Together.
“I have participated in a wide range of activities in the last two and a half years since becoming a Macmillan volunteer, the common theme being drawing on my experiences as someone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis and treatment. I firmly believe that people living with cancer are best placed to explain how their diagnosis and treatments have impacted them, and to describe their experiences of using care and support services to bring about change and break down barriers.”
