Macmillan funding woes as ‘cancer tsunami’ expected

Macmillan Cancer Support is facing a drop in income of over 70% and warned of a “possible tsunami of demand” due to the backlog of delayed cancer diagnoses.

Last year people in Lincolnshire raised £283,000 from holding coffee mornings, with £26,800 in Lincoln alone. The charity now needs people to support Coffee Morning either virtually or by holding takeaway events.

The money funds vital services including Macmillan nurses and patient grants. However, figures show the number of people planning to hold a Coffee Morning across the county has fallen by 74%, so the charity needs the support of people in Lincolnshire more than ever.

Across the UK, early figures show sign-ups for the event are down by around 68%, with the £27.5 million raised in 2019 expected to fall to under £8 million this year. This would be the lowest amount Coffee Morning will have raised in 11 years.

The official date for Coffee Morning is Friday, September 25, but people can hold theirs whenever they like and they are being urged to find out about the new ways to take part.

Ruth Willis, Macmillan Partnership Manager for Lincolnshire said: “There has never been a more terrifying time in recent history to receive a cancer diagnosis with disruption and delays to treatment and fears of increased risk of becoming infected with coronavirus.

“A huge 98% of Macmillan’s income is from donations and events like Coffee Morning. While Coffee Morning can’t take place in exactly the same way as before this year, there are still lots of ways to get involved.

“At Macmillan we’re facing a possible tsunami of demand coming towards us this autumn, as the cancer system gets moving again and the backlog of delayed diagnoses begins to be dealt with. Worryingly this increased need for support would come at a time when our fundraised income has dropped significantly.

“We’re facing the hardest year in our 109-year history. It’s no exaggeration to say Macmillan and people with cancer have never needed the public’s help more than we do right now.”