Giving hope to those affected
by secondary breast cancer

Research. Support. Education.

Impact Report 2022 - 2023

2022 - 2023 Impact report

Chair's Statement

Professor David Cameron,

Professor of Oncology and Director of Cancer Services, NHS Lothian at the University of Edinburgh

When we step back to survey the work of Make 2nds Count over the past year, I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to share some of these remarkable achievements with you. This report is more than simply a collection of statistics or numbers – it reveals the ways that our work together supports so many patients and their families and delivers on our mission to provide hope in the face of secondary breast cancer.

One pillar of our mission is to fund research focused on secondary breast cancer and quality of life for patients. The LIMBER study, which we funded with Dame Lesley Fallowfield and the SHORE-C group, measured patients’ important needs and preferences for information from their medical care providers. We have also announced our largest funding award to date: over £219,000 over three years to study screening protocols for patients with secondary HER2+ breast cancer.

We have also seen tremendous growth in our Patient Trial Advocate (PTA) service, which allows any UK patient to meet with one of our three specialist nurses to learn more about clinical trials and request a bespoke search for any UK trials which might be suitable. The PTA team also hosted events in Maggie’s Centres throughout Scotland, meeting groups of patients and helping them feel informed and empowered to discuss clinical trials. We’ve also launched a database of UK clinical trials focused on secondary breast cancer that is patient-focused and regularly updated.

Patients are at the heart of everything we do, and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to offer more resources to support patients in the past year. Our retreats have proved to be incredibly popular, and we have expanded our online and in-person meetings of Tea & A Chat. We provide opportunities for peer-to-peer support, and we offer Wellbeing Week seminars with experts on yoga practice, menopause, travel insurance, and more that is tailored for our patient context.

None of this would be possible without the determination and creativity of our staff, whose hard work day in and day out turns our mission into reality. And I must acknowledge the extraordinary community of supporters, donors, ambassadors and champions who believe in the importance of our mission and who are determined to make a difference. On behalf on the Board of Trustees, thank you for every generous donation: whether financial, or of volunteer hours and/or raising awareness of the charity. Make 2nds Count continues to thrive because of you and everything you do.

The need is great. Every day, more patients across the UK will be diagnosed with incurable secondary breast cancer. Make 2nds Count is here to offer them hope – hope through ongoing research, empowering education and meaningful support. While we celebrate our accomplishments, we know there is more work to be done. We invite you to be part of this important, inspiring project of hope.

 

Our full 2022-2023 impact report is now available,

find out everything we have achieved so far and all about our future plans.

Read More Here