Macmillan Cancer Support

Sex and intimacy can be difficult topics to navigate, especially when living with or recovering from cancer. We know cancer impacts people in many ways, be it financially, emotionally, or physically. But cancer can affect our relationships and sex lives as well. In this honest and supportive discussion hosted by breast cancer campaigner Helen Addis, she is joined by our Chief Medical Officer, Richard Simcock, and Sarah, a Lovehoney Sexpert to explore ways to maintain a healthy sexual relationship during and after cancer treatment. We’re so proud to be partnering with Lovehoney UK – part of @Lovehoney Group and the UK’s leading sexual wellness brand – to shine a light on the impact cancer can have on people’s sexual wellbeing and to encourage more open and honest conversations for people who wish to access support.

Today marks a hugely exciting step forward for lung cancer treatment, a step that could be lifesaving for many people living with cancer. This is a brilliant example of how the UK could become one of the best countries in the world when it comes to cancer care if governments across the UK take urgent action. The NHS is at breaking point, with thousands of people waiting too long for treatment, but today proves that better is possible. https://lnkd.in/eMJYtnMn

This generation of children like Heman are giving hope to the world 🌍💚

The UK has the potential to be world-leading in how it cares for and treats people living with cancer. To make this a reality, it is imperative that all governments in the UK prioritise funded long-term cross-government approaches to revolutionise cancer care and ensure everyone has access to quality and timely treatment and support, every step of the way. Read more ⬇

Big thank you to LinkedIn for hosting and inviting us to a Coffee Morning in their London offices last week. They raised over £1,200 and counting, which will help us to continue our work supporting people living with cancer. Big or small, be it coffee and cake or smoothies and shop-bought sandwiches; we promise we don’t judge how people interpret our biggest fundraising event. A Macmillan Coffee Morning is a good cause for all. 💚

Suha and Amanda’s experiences demonstrate how urgently we need to tackle inequalities within Northern Ireland's health service. It has a huge impact on someone’s chances of survival from cancer. We are pleased Northern Ireland’s Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt MLA, said ‘tackling inequalities must be at the heart of health reform and a priority across all Departments’ however, Suha and Amanda’s experiences remind us of the urgency of this work, and the need to get it right for everyone.

It’s estimated that there are around 200,000 people in the UK who are living with a stoma. This is fantastic to see from Marks and Spencer and Colostomy UK 👏

We were able to support 2.3 million people affected by cancer last year. That’s 250,000 more people than in 2022. To all of our supporters, thank you so much! 💚

If you had a significantly increased chance of developing cancer in your lifetime, would you want to know? This is the scenario that Emma faced when her dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer and was found to carry a hereditary condition. Thanks to genetic screening, Emma was diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome just before her 30th birthday which put her at an 80% risk of developing cancer in her lifetime. “I feel very grateful that I know I am being monitored with regular colonoscopies to check for early signs of bowel cancer. If I didn’t know I had Lynch Syndrome, no one would be keeping an eye on me.” There are thought to be around 300,000 people living with Lynch Syndrome in the UK today, but only 5% of people will know that they have it. In this month’s episode of our podcast, The Cancer Professionals, Emma is joined by Kelly Kohut, Lead Consultant Genetic Counsellor at St George’s University Hospitals where they discuss what genetic testing consists of, how it can be a very personal decision to consent to genetic screening, and how it can benefit patient outcomes. You can find this podcast episode on Genomics by searching for The Cancer Professionals on your preferred streaming platform.

We have been appalled to see racist violence erupt in the UK over the past week. This has left many communities feeling intimidated - including people we support, our partners, colleagues and frontline public service workers - who feel unsafe, worried to attend appointments and concerned to go to work. Discrimination and racism have no place in our communities, or our healthcare. We will continue to work hard to ensure that everyone, no matter what their background, receives the best possible cancer care.