Age UK Sutton has been awarded a £142,000 CARE grant from Macmillan Cancer Support to help deliver lasting improvements to local cancer care and support services.
Macmillan CARE grants are a new initiative by the national cancer charity, as they work to make cancer care better and fairer for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live.
The charity warns that the number of people living with cancer is on the rise, with as many as 5.4 million people expected to be living with cancer in the UK by 2045 – a 58 per cent rise on where we are today[1].
At the same time there is growing concern over how the UK cancer care system is not just struggling to cope, but also leaving people behind because of who they are, where they live, what they earn or how they communicate.
Age UK Sutton is one of 65 community organisations chosen from across the UK to help improve care and support for people living with cancer today, while also contributing to wider and long-lasting improvements in UK cancer care for the future.
The Dementia and Cancer Connect project will be funded for two years to provide specialist support for local people living with both cancer and dementia and their carers.
Macmillan says the need for such community-led action is clear, with more than 1.7 million people across the UK – at least half of all people currently living with cancer – struggling with the impact of their cancer diagnosis on their day-to-day lives[2], with support often being hard to find or too far away.
Previous research by the charity has also shown that two in three people with cancer who are struggling with ‘everyday’ needs (66%) urgently need more support to help them cope[3].
Macmillan CARE grants are being awarded to projects that can offer support and care where it is needed the most, and which are targeted at three main areas. This includes improving services for people with cancer and dementia, making sure people are offered a fuller say in decisions about their care, and improving support for those who all too often have poorer outcomes, such as people from ethnically diverse communities, people who are LGBTQ+, those with a disability or those living in the UK’s most economically vulnerable areas.
Age UK Sutton’s Dementia and Cancer Connect Project.
People living with both dementia and cancer can face additional challenges navigating cancer care. Dementia can make it harder to understand complex information, attend appointments and participate in treatment decisions, while family members and carers can find themselves taking on much of the responsibility for navigating care and services.
Dementia and Cancer Connect will provide personalised, one-to-one support from a dedicated Dementia and Cancer Specialist Adviser, helping people understand information, prepare for appointments, access practical and financial support and remain involved in decisions about their care. Support will be available in people’s homes and familiar community settings.
Alongside this, a Participatory Learning Group will bring together people with lived experience, carers and professionals to identify barriers and help make cancer services more dementia inclusive. With The Royal Marsden and the London Cancer Hub based in Sutton, the borough provides a strong setting for the pilot.
Michelle Blagrove, Director of Community Services at Age UK Sutton, said:
“A cancer diagnosis can be difficult enough to navigate. For someone also living with dementia, appointments, information and treatment decisions can become even more overwhelming, both for them and for the people supporting them. Dementia and Cancer Connect is about making sure people don’t have to navigate that journey alone. Having a dedicated Adviser alongside them throughout their cancer journey will provide continuity and practical support, while the Participatory Learning Group will make sure we learn directly from people’s experiences about where barriers exist and what could work better. We’re incredibly grateful for Macmillan Cancer Support’s investment in this work and excited about what we can achieve here in Sutton.”
Heather McLean, Director of Communities & System Partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support said:
“Cancer isn’t fair, but at Macmillan, we believe cancer care and support should be. Real change in cancer care starts with those who know the challenges they face the best, and that is communities themselves. That is why every local project we are supporting has been shaped by the views of people living with cancer and their loved ones.
We are so excited to be working with Age UK Sutton, and community organisations right across the UK, to address some of the gaps we know exist, to deliver lasting change in local cancer care and to help make things just that little bit better for everyone affected by cancer. Together, we want to help make sure that people with cancer can get the personalised support they need, whoever and wherever they are.”
If you or someone you care for is living with both cancer and dementia in Sutton, Dementia and Cancer Connect is here to help. To find out more about the support available, visit Age UK Sutton | Dementia Cancer Connect or contact Age UK Sutton on 020 8078 0002.
