Breast Cancer Now

Breast Cancer Now
Name	Breast Cancer Now
Type	Charity
Founded	2015
Headquarters	London
Key people	Patricia Hewitt; Dame Harpal Singh
Area served	United Kingdom
Focus	Breast cancer research and patient support

Breast Cancer Now is a United Kingdom-based charity formed by the merger of two prominent organisations to accelerate research, influence policy, and provide support for people affected by breast cancer. The charity operates alongside health institutions, academic centres, and policy bodies to translate scientific discoveries into improved care, while engaging with public figures, media outlets, and fundraising events to sustain its work. It maintains a network of research initiatives, campaigning programmes, and patient-facing services across the United Kingdom and in collaboration with international partners.

History

The charity was created through the merger of two legacy organisations with long records of fundraising and research investment: their predecessors included large UK charities and campaign groups linked to events such as national fundraising drives and awareness months. Its formation followed governance processes similar to those seen in mergers involving Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, and other health-sector consolidations. The new body inherited research portfolios from university laboratories at institutions such as University College London, University of Cambridge, and Imperial College London, and established clinical links with NHS Trusts including Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. Over time the organisation expanded partnerships with European research consortia like the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and global initiatives connected to the World Health Organization.

Mission and Activities

The organisation’s stated mission aligns with objectives common to major medical charities: to fund biomedical research, to campaign for policy change at bodies such as the Department of Health and Social Care and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and to deliver patient support services in conjunction with hospital networks and community partners. Activities include supporting laboratory research at centres like Francis Crick Institute and clinical trials coordinated through networks such as National Institute for Health Research centres, running public awareness campaigns alongside media outlets like the BBC and major newspapers, and mobilising volunteers for events comparable to the London Marathon and charity retail operations similar to those of Shelter (charity).

Research and Funding

Research funding is channelled to universities, academic medical centres, and translational science programmes at institutions including King's College London, University of Oxford, and Queen Mary University of London. Grants support investigations into molecular oncology, imaging collaborations with centres such as The Institute of Cancer Research, and clinical trial infrastructure in partnership with bodies like the Clinical Trials Unit and the European Society for Medical Oncology. Fundraising mechanisms mirror those used by major charities: mass-market fundraising events, legacy giving, corporate partnerships with firms listed on the London Stock Exchange, and charitable trusts similar to the Wellcome Trust and National Institute for Health Research. The organisation reports investments in projects spanning basic science, biomarker development, and survivorship studies with collaborators at research hubs including Beatson Institute and Cancer Research Horizons-type programmes.

Campaigns and Advocacy

Campaigning work targets health policy stakeholders such as the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, and the Welsh Government to influence screening guidelines and NHS service provision. The charity has run national initiatives timed with awareness observances and coordinated with patient groups like Cancer Research UK Charities Together and professional societies such as the Royal College of Radiologists and the British Medical Association. Advocacy outputs include reports submitted to parliamentary committees, briefings for commissioners at Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS England, and public petitions circulated through platforms used by other campaigns like those run by Amnesty International and Greenpeace. High-profile campaign partners have included media personalities and celebrity ambassadors who have supported awareness through televised appeals and national print coverage.

Services and Support for Patients

Support services are delivered through telephone helplines, in-person support groups hosted at locations such as major hospitals and community centres, and online resources developed in collaboration with patient charities and university psychology departments including those at University of Manchester and University of Glasgow. The organisation facilitates peer-support networks, survivorship workshops with rehabilitation teams comparable to services at Royal Free Hospital, and information provision on treatment pathways overseen by clinical guideline bodies like NICE. It coordinates with legal advice providers and welfare organisations similar to Citizens Advice for benefit and employment guidance, and connects patients with clinical trials listed on registries such as the ISRCTN Registry.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows charity-sector norms with a board of trustees, executive leadership, and advisory scientific committees composed of academics from institutions like University of Edinburgh and Newcastle University. Regulatory oversight involves compliance with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and interaction with health regulators including the Care Quality Commission. Financial reporting and annual reviews are aligned with standards applied to charities listed in the Charity Finance Group, and fundraising practices adhere to codes similar to those promoted by the Fundraising Regulator. Strategic planning processes have referenced models used by large health NGOs and university hospital partnerships.

Partnerships and Impact

The charity’s partnerships span academic institutions, NHS hospital trusts, international research consortia, and corporate sponsors from sectors represented on the London Stock Exchange. Collaborative projects include joint research programmes with universities and translational efforts linked to clinical centres like Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and multicentre trials co-ordinated with networks such as the European Society for Radiology. Impact is measured through publications in scientific journals, contributions to policy changes debated in the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee, and patient outcomes tracked in collaboration with registries like those maintained by the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service. The organisation’s profile is elevated through public events, media engagement, and alliances with other major charities and professional bodies across the UK and internationally.

Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom Category:Cancer organisations based in the United Kingdom