DonateWe are Make 2nds Count: a UK-wide patient and family focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer.
Research into secondary breast cancer is underfunded. We are committed to funding secondary breast cancer research which can contribute to advancing an increased quality of life for patients.
Our in-person and online Support programme helps our community with information sharing, practical advice and support, wellbeing activities and facilitating peer-to-peer friendship groups.
Education is key to everything that we do and we aim to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer through effective marketing and education programmes across the UK. We also empower our community by increasing their knowledge and understanding of research, treatments, trials and options.
Together we can Make 2nds Count!
Signs & Symptoms of Secondary Breast Cancer
Secondary (metastatic) breast cancer is a cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.
An estimated 61,000 men and women in the UK are living with this incurable disease, and symptoms can vary from person to person. It has a devastating impact on people affected and their families, yet many people have never heard of it. It is one of the biggest killers of women under 50 in the UK.
Secondary breast cancer can be treated but it cannot be cured. Treatments aim to control and slow down the disease to enable patients to have the best possible quality of life for as long as possible.
Living with a secondary breast cancer diagnosis is both mentally and physically gruelling and can be incredibly isolating. Our support programme helps our community by informing, sharing, fostering important relationships, and offering practical advice.
- Tea & Chat - we have 21 regional in-person monthly groups that are safe spaces to build friendships and get peer-to-peer support.
- Wellbeing sessions - our weekly online activities including Pilates, Yoga, Breathwork and Mindfulness, all designed to help mental and physical health.
- Online community - join our closed Facebook group to connect with others, share information and get support.
Join our support sessions
Clinical Trials Service
Our free information and support service is here to help secondary breast cancer patients explore clinical trials as part of their treatment pathway.
Understanding and navigating the world of clinical trials can feel overwhelming. Our Clinical Trials Nurse Mel has years of experience in secondary breast cancer and clinical trials and is here to help answer your questions and conduct a trial database search on your behalf. If you are living with metastatic breast cancer and interested in finding out more, please complete a referral form using the button below.
UK Clinical Trial Registry
If you want know where trials are taking place in the UK, we have compiled a single list of actively recruiting clinical trials that you can use yourself. This is in response to a MSBC research study we conducted in 2021 where 87% of secondary breast cancer patients said they would be likely to use a patient friendly clinical trial registry specific to secondary breast cancer.
Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2025
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is Scotland's largest mass participation running event, with over 35,000 runners and 100,000 spectators. Join Make 2nds Count team to run in Edinburgh with the iconic Edinburgh Castle as your backdrop or take part in the 5K in the beautiful Holyrood park, there are eleven different distances to choose from so there is something for everyone.
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One Cancer Voice coalition calls on the government to tackle cancer treatment waiting times
New analysis by Cancer Research UK revealed that last year, 74,000 cancer patients didn’t start their treatment on time. Make 2nds Count join over 50 other cancer charities to ask the government to tackle cancer waiting times after new analysis by Cancer Research UK revealed that last year, 74,000 cancer patients didn’t start their treatment on time.
North Hoyle Community Fund Provides Vital Support For Secondary Breast Cancer Patients in Rhyl
We're delighted to that Greencoat’s North Hoyle Wind Farm Community Fund, operated by RWE, has awarded a generous £2,883 to support our Tea & Chat group in Rhyl, North Wales. Launched in Rhyl in October 2024, this monthly initiative has become a vital opportunity for local people living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer to meet up and receive support, as well as build vital friendships.