Non-Profits - Cancer Research

​Welcome to our new series of blog posts focusing on charities and non profit organisations. To start with we are looking at Cancer Research, the great things they are doing and have done, and also ways you can get involved. Enjoy…

Meet Cancer Research UK chief executive, Sir Harpal Kumar, who has been in his role more than 10 years.

The goal of Cancer Research is to find a way to cure all kinds of cancer. This incredible charity funds the services of many medical professionals such as doctors and nurses, as well as scientists and research specialists, to carry out research and find more solutions and ways forward. A very significant part of the work of the charity is raising awareness, and fundraising with the public and local communities in order to increase earlier diagnoses of cancer, and raising survival rates. ​

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Following a merger in February 2002 of the Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer research as we know it today was created. Its work is nearly all funded by the public, through things that include charity shops, donations, legacies, fund raising events, as well as retail and corporate partnerships. It also is helped by over 40,000 committed volunteers. ​

40% of the charity’s research expenses are spent on laboratory research by scientists and doctors, investigating the molecular make-up of cancer in order to raise levels of understanding about how the disease develops. This acts as an effective baseline for more advanced research. 

Expenses are also used on research and development of drugs and medication, finding new methods of prevention, informing the public about early detection, as well as developing more advanced surgery and radiotherapy.
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Major fund-raisers include Race for Life and Stand Up To Cancer. In 2012, Cancer Research received its biggest single donation in history. £10 million was given by an anonymous doner. This money was put towards the building of the Francis Crick institute, which is Europe’s biggest biomedical research building.

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Thanks to the hard work and relentless passion and enthusiasm of the charity’s supporters, including members of the public and businesses across the country, Cancer Research has had a significant influence on the government. As a result, new laws have been passed that have resulted in awareness campaigns and large scale investment into vital improvements in medical treatment, and more research….

Here is an amazing example of an amazing change that was made possible by thousands of members of  the public signing petitions:
Radiotherapy has been discovered to be much more effective in cancer treatment than chemotherapy. However, lack of equipment, staff, and general awareness has resulted in it not being widely enough available to many patients who really needed it. Cancer Research decided to campaign for a well-trained, properly staffed workforce, and more equipment to fix this huge problem.

Supporters were brought on board by asking for signatures in shops. Campaign ambassadors ran petitions in local neighbourhoods. All of this combined effort produced more than 36,000 signatures which were presented to David Cameron, the Prime Minister. ​

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Since this took place, the government has started a £23 million fund allowing centres to deliver better quality radiotherapy. There was also a new £250 million investment from the government to open new cutting edge radiotherapy units in London and Manchester. This is just a small example of what was achieved.

To read in more detail about the great things Cancer Research UK has achieved and is working towards, as well as finding out great ways you can get involved in fundraising as a business or an individual, check out their official website: cancerresearchuk.org
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