14th September 2026 by Emma Hall
This simple idea sits at the heart of everything we do at Make 2nds Count. Time and time again, members of our secondary breast cancer community tell us that finding their 'tribe' has changed their lives.
We connect people living with secondary breast cancer to a community that truly understands, so they know they don’t have to face it alone. We provide trusted information when everything feels uncertain, and a space where you can simply be yourself — without having to explain.
September marks Legacy Month and Remember A Charity Week - a time to reflect on how we ensure the connection, understanding, and hope found here today remains available for everyone diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in the years to come.
A legacy gift is a powerful way to ensure future patients find the same "tribe" and life-changing support that has been there for you. It’s about guaranteeing that the next person to hear those difficult words will also find a community that truly understands.
For a focused charity like ours, a gift in a Will provides transformative stability. While large national organisations absorb gifts into multi-million-pound budgets, smaller teams feel the immediate, life-changing ripple effect of every single bequest.
The average residual legacy gift (a percentage share of an estate) in the UK sits at roughly £98,000. In a large charity, that sum represents a tiny fraction of a percent of annual income; in a small organisation, like Make 2nds Count, it can single-handedly cover a research grant or fund an entire year of support services, like Tea & Chat.
Thinking about a gift in your Will is a deeply personal decision. We know there are often myths surrounding it, so we want to provide some gentle reassurance as you consider what is right for you:
Your loved ones always come first. This is the most important part. Most people choose to leave a gift only after they have fully provided for those closest to them.
You don’t need to be wealthy. Over 100 people across the UK choose to leave a gift every single day. Every gift, regardless of size, helps build a lifeline of hope.
Even 1% makes a difference. Leaving a small percentage of what remains (a residuary gift) ensures your family is secure while still supporting the future of this community.
To give you an idea of how these collective gifts change lives across the UK:
£4.4 billion is raised annually through gifts in Wills in the UK.
1 in 5 charity supporters over 40 have already included a gift in their Will.
The 1% Potential: If UK participation increased by just 1%, it would unlock an extra £600 million for charitable services every year.
Pledging a gift costs nothing today, but it guarantees that support and research continue tomorrow. Whether it’s funding a clinical research grant or sustaining our online networks, your legacy ensures that no one faces a diagnosis alone.
I’m in the process of amending my Will, and I’m keen to make sure that I do my bit to help make sure Make 2nds Count is here for years to come.
Visit our webs page and download our Legacy Brochure if this is something that you want to be part of too.
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