CEO thoughts - two years (and a half) in the role

I’m a little embarrassed to say this but, before I joined Make 2nds Count I didn’t really know what secondary breast cancer is. That’s despite my many years in the cancer charity sector and support of Professor Ingunn Holen's work in Sheffield into the breast and bone micro-environment.

I hope I’m forgiven for that, particularly as 40% of UK adults have never heard of secondary (metastatic) breast cancer either. So, suitably humbled, here are ten more things I’ve learned during my first 2.5 years at Make 2nds Count:

1. Hope is a powerful emotion for the secondary breast cancer community. As an incurable but treatable condition, understanding those ‘good news stories’ of people who lived decades with secondary breast cancer, as well as knowledge that new treatments are being developed and a policy environment which prioritises the disease, are critical.

2. Creating the optimal environment for research and life sciences is very important. The commitment in the England Cancer Plan, Life Sciences Plan and the Government’s commitment to spend more on making drugs available through the NHS will lead to a greater number of novel drugs and faster clinical trials for patients.

3. More funding for secondary breast cancer research is needed. Recent reports from the USA suggest that only 13% of breast cancer research is spent on secondary breast cancer despite most breast cancer deaths resulting from the cancer having spread or metastasised. As a small charity we are investing in research studies which deliver near-time patient-benefit particularly in improving quality of life. To find out more, take a look here .

4. It’s important that people see others living with, and talking about, secondary breast cancer. We love to share our ‘Stories of Hope’ of community members like Lorraine and Rebecca but we also think it’s important to highlight high-profile people such as  Ashley Dalton MP and Trisha Goddard talking about their experiences living with secondary breast cancer.

5. Biggest isn’t always best. Make 2nds Count is a small but punchy charity demonstrated by our Return on Investment. Despite a small team of ten (full and part-time staff) we provide the UK’s only Patient Summit for people living with Secondary Breast Cancer, an online community group of 2.8k and 26 Tea and Chat groups across the UK - and much, much more! This wouldn’t be possible without the extended reach and expertise provided by our many professional advisors, volunteers and supporters - thank you.

6. Behind every great organisation is an even greater planning framework. Okay, not the most glamorous of statements but I’m really pleased with the strategic direction we set ourselves when I joined Make 2nds Count. In a few months we’ll complete the second year of our new three year strategy; if you want to see what we set ourselves to do and what we achieved, look here . 

7. Listening to people with lived experience is a privilege not a right - and it's important to do something with what you hear. At Make 2nds Count we are constantly humbled by the voices we hear through our in-person and virtual means. As CEO, I am passionate about using what we learn to change policy, outcomes and experiences of patients, now and in the future.

8. The power of collaboration. Supporters dislike and don’t understand why charities don’t work more closely together if the net result is better outcomes for patients. Working alongside others such as partners in One Cancer Voice, led by CRUK helped push the National Cancer Plan ‘over the line’. A new collaboration of breast cancer charities, including Make 2nds Count, means that we are less likely to duplicate, more to collaborate on activity. And of course the recent campaign to provide Enhertu on the NHS to patients was a result of breast cancer charities and campaigners putting their shoulders to the wheel.

9. Cancer touches everyone. A close family member was diagnosed with stage IV cancer before Christmas. I’m well aware of how fortunate he’s been relative to others - his care and treatment has been second-to-none and he’s been considered for a clinical trial. Not everyone gets that - dismantling the health inequities and experience of postcode lottery of service standards should be something we all prioritise.

10. Fundraising is the hardest it has ever been. I’ve been in the sector for more than three decades. I thought after Brexit it was tough, after Covid it was tougher and now it is the toughest it has ever been. We are ever more grateful to anyone who chooses to support the work of Make 2nds Count. If you like what we do tell your friends!