WHich is the best cancer charity to donate to?

[CurlyhairedAssassin]

My lovely mum is battling leukaemia. I want to start making monthly donations to a cancer charity or maybe two. But unsure which is the best one. I know it won’t make much difference to mg mum’s treatment but I would like to donate to whichever has the most direct impact on patients, either through research into better ways to treat or support for patients who are going through it.

Do you specifically want blood cancer charities?

If not, then I'd go for Cancer Research UK, your local cancer support centre, and Marie Curie nurses.

I am in the north west. Is a local or national charity better?

We are right at the beginning of her treatment so not yet at the stage of needing a hospice.

Hadn’t thought, Stella. On reflection probably a general one. So many people I know have died from various forms of cancer the past few years.

But actually maybe I could do two. General and blood cancer one?

Definitely cancer research if it were me. My OH has a particularly rare kind of terminal cancer so we know an awful lot about it, particularly, the massive improvements in treatment recently which have doubled/trebled life expectancy with fewer side effects.

I know that "care" is important, but for me, I'd rather spend the money on research so that fewer people need the "care". Just my personal opinion of course.

I think different people have different opinions on this. For example, I have found Macmillan really helpful and I'm being treated in a Macmillan centre, so I may look at fundraising for them when I am done with my treatment. But other people I have spoken to think that Macmillan aren't very helpful at all.

Some people think that the big charities like CRUK are too corporate and the money doesn't go to the right places.

It might be better to wait for a while and see which services you find most helpful, and then make a decision based on that. I think that is what I am going to do.

Lots of love to you and your Mum

Thanks, motherhood. By “cancer centre” do you just mean the hospital where cancer patients are admitted and treated? Sorry to sound so dense but at the moment I’m not sure of all the services offered.

Thanks, pacer and mrbatmun, you both make good points. for your situations.

See if you like the look of Bloodwise - they fund research into blood cancers as well as providing information and lobbying (getting the new drugs accepted into NHS use (eg ibrutinib for CLL earlier this year))

There are also various excellent leukaemia care and lymphoma organisations. And Anthony Nolan - who do more than ‘just’ the bone marrow register, but the more people to register to donate, the better the chances of a match

I work closely with a charity based in the North West and London called Action Radiotherapy. They do some amazing work and are currently having great success at pushing the government toward upping it's funding of radiotherapy as the UK spends a lot less than other countries. I know they're always so appreciative of donations big or small.

I knew Maggie’s would be mentioned. Certainly they do good work but they have so many high-profile and influential supporters that I feel other smaller cancer charities deserve a fair crack of the whip rather than an already wealthy Maggie’s.

I think, support a local service or charity that you are using, big national charities do well but it is the smaller local ones where you can make a difference to local people.

CRuk do amazing work at developing cancer treatments. They do have a large brand but I know from people that work there that they are concious of internal costs. They have funded many projects that lead to breakthrus.

However local charities are also very well deserving..my local hospital has a cancer care centre offering a gentle place to sit and have a drink after chemo. They also offer services such as counselling, money advice and hairdressering for those going through treatment. Mostly staffed by volunteers.
I tend to give regularly to CR but also give to my local hospice as both are essential.

Thanks everyone. Yes, it’s the thought of breakthroughs for future patients which interests me. I’ve set up a DD to them and think i’ll Also give to Leukaemia Care, as Mum has found the resources on their website really useful.