Hi everyone. The review of 2021-22 celebrates the work which has been undertaken by Beatson Cancer Charity throughout the year. This includes the variety and diversity of the work, our strategic approach, the skills and commitment of our staff and the ways we invest in a better future for patients and their families.
We are delighted to let you know that we’ve achieved so many important milestones in the last year, this includes having spent £3,077,742 on charitable activity. Underpinned by the delivery of vital support services by the charity itself, we have also funded several specialist posts and wider life-enhancing initiatives at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre as well as a range of pioneering research projects. We’re excited to share these stories with you, to help you learn more about our work and how we use the thousands of generous donations given to the charity every year. Quite simply, we could not do what we do without your support, and for that we are truly grateful!
During the year, we delivered a wide range of programmes which have supported thousands of people. Our volunteering activity has also expanded with the further development of services provided at The Beatson and in the community. Our Befriending Service alone has positively touched the lives of so many people. And, we have plans to do so much more!
CEO
Mental health and wellbeing are arguably more important now than ever. The charity has been focused on providing several opportunities during the year to help people living with cancer in this regard. Our Wellbeing Centre based in The Beatson is right at the heart of this activity, but this is supported by a range of individual and group work programmes to support people deal with the many challenges cancer can have on their lives. Patients and their families greatly value the support they receive!
Over the following pages you’ll find out more about these initiatives, you’ll read about personal stories and experiences and the impact this has on people’s lives.
Our fundraising this year has been exceptional. We’ve received support from thousands of individuals and businesses and raised over £4 million. The corporate sponsorship we receive from companies has helped greatly to support our work. Without doubt the residual effect of the pandemic continued to have an impact on the charity sector and our own work, but this did not deter us or diminish our resolve! We have worked with our colleagues at The Beatson to find new and creative ways to support their work.
This helps us to continue to transform the lives of patients and their families in many different ways. This included investing in a new MRI scanner which will help more targeted treatment of many cancers, this will impact the lives of some 20,000 people over the next 10 years.
As always, the generosity and backing of our supporters has been incredible this year! From our much-loved charity balls, large-scale mass participation events to the MRI Appeal, the response has been overwhelming. On top of this we have the support of so many people in the community who fundraise on our behalf. We’ve also received grants from many trusts and foundations to support this work – we could never achieve so much for others without this incredible support.
We hope you enjoy finding out more about all of this in the following pages.
Martin Cawley | Jamie Matheson | ChairmanBeatson Cancer Charity supports people affected by cancer. We provide services and funding that enhance and strengthen NHS care and enable patients and their families to be helped swiftly and compassionately.
We are funding ground-breaking research projects such as the BARITONE Head & Neck Cancer Study and are funding 10 NHS specialist staff posts who provide dedicated support to Beatson patients and their family members. We also offer services at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow and in health board areas across the West of Scotland.
From the hospital wards, right to the heart of the communities that The Beatson serves, we believe everyone should experience their cancer treatment with care, with love and with hope.
As an independent charity, we can develop and extend our services further into the heart of Scottish communities to support more people with cancer before, during and after treatment. Amongst patients and the wider community, we are best known for our Wellbeing Centre and specialist support at The Beatson, as well as satellite services within other hospitals.
Meanwhile, clinical and research professionals recognise us for our ongoing commitment to more effective cancer services and supporting cutting-edge cancer research and education. All our work is made possible by our supporters.
It is their generosity which allows Beatson Cancer Charity to deliver an innovative and patient-focussed approach to cancer care and change the lives of those affected by cancer every day.
17 research staff members and 13 clinical staff members received funding from the charity for delivering research activities, clinical services and patient focused projects.
We also awarded 13 Staff Training and Development education grants, benefiting 17 Beatson clinical staff members. This funding was used to present research posters at conferences, undertake postgraduate training, attend study days and run educational events.
Welcome Desk supported 18,314 individuals with enquiries
Over £1.5m of grants awarded to external projects and initiatives
Wellbeing Services supported 3,371 individuals
383 Kiltwalkers
4,000 empire biscuits sold in the Beatson Café
Volunteers gifted
8,706 hours of their time
Over 2,000 heart badges sold – our online best seller!
Supported by 223 volunteers
125 individuals supported across 16 6-week Group Programmes
£417,987 of grant funding was committed to supporting research
38,145 Social Media followers (10.2% increase from previous year)
Over 600 hours of tea trolley support to the Chemotherapy Day Unit
2022 saw the launch of the MR Imaging Suite in The Beatson. This state-of-the-art technology – funded entirely by donations – creates a resource which will dramatically improve and save thousands of lives. The MRI initiative was driven by the need for more precision; targeting Radiotherapy more accurately on the tumour while minimising harm to surrounding healthy tissue.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Endowment Fund, 20,000 people will now receive precision Radiotherapy that will be more effective and cause fewer side effects.
The new MR Imaging Suite will open doors to new research, allowing clinical researchers to develop and trial new treatments for people in Scotland and beyond. It will also further enhance The Beatson’s position as a leader in advanced precision Radiotherapy.
The new facility and the transformational improvements in treatment it makes possible, further drive our ambition to push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer treatment, working together with NHS and university colleagues.
These advances in imaging technologies together with advances in research are putting us on the cusp of a revolution in medicine – allowing treatment to be personalised and precisely tailored to each individual – improving treatment options, effectiveness and outcomes.
Total funded: £3.6m
Eithne MacPherson is the Professional Lead for Therapeutic Radiography at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. She explains the difference the new MRI scanner will have on patients and staff in the years ahead.
“Before our Radiotherapy MRI service commenced, patients came for a planning CT scan to facilitate treatment planning. This MRI scanner is not used for cancer diagnosis; it enables us to perform more precise Radiotherapy planning. MR Imaging offers us superior soft tissue detail compared to CT, so now certain tumour groups will have CT and MRI planning scans that are then fused to allow high precision outlining of the tumour area. MRI gives clinicians the confidence to contour the tumour and avoid organs at risk accurately. This reduction of the target volume allows dose escalation which will improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Patients who will benefit the most from the scanner are those who have prostate, brain, head and neck, gynaecological, rectal and anal types of cancer. Brachytherapy patients will also benefit. Abdominal tumours e.g. pancreas and oligometastatic tumours will also benefit as better soft tissue definition is required in the abdomen due to tumour motion and proximity to organs at risk.
As well as using MRI for Radiotherapy planning, we are hoping to use it to monitor response to Radiotherapy. This will be particularly advantageous in head and neck cancer as the patient will have an MRI scan for Radiotherapy planning and then at agreed stages during their treatment.
If the tumour is responding better in certain areas, we can tailor the plan to reduce the dose to these areas. However, if other areas are not responding we can dose escalate whilst ensuring extra dose to organs at risk is avoided.
As the largest Radiotherapy centre in Scotland we treat a wide variety of patients with complex cancers. This new imaging modality will ensure we are offering personalised Radiotherapy planning to increase cancer survival rates and improve the quality of life after Radiotherapy by reducing Radiotherapy late effects.”
beatsoncancercharity.org
Our volunteers provide support in many different ways. From patientfacing services to fundraising activities and, now, with research projects. Many volunteer-supported and volunteer-led services continued to operate throughout another year which saw Covid-19 restrictions, and we began to welcome back many of our patient-facing volunteers.
85% of volunteer time was spent supporting patients. Nearly 600 hours of volunteer support was given in the Day Case Units, providing the Tea Trolley service to patients receiving Chemotherapy.
“This is a wonderful service – I really appreciate it. It’s always great to see you.” Patient at The Beatson
660 hours were dedicated to the Give and Go Service which was drawn to a close when visiting was reintroduced at The Beatson. The service was delivered in April 2021, December 2021, January and February 2022.
The Beatson Café was open with over 5,000 hours dedicated by volunteers to serving hot food and drink to NHS staff, patients and their families. They also helped keep them safe by following COVID-19 protocols.
From November 2021 our volunteer drivers started to support the Neo-Microbe Breast Study, transporting research kit to and from patients’ homes. Our volunteers also helped load content onto MP3 players for patients. These were used to help relax patients ahead of treatment.
Our wonderful gardening team made a welcome return to The Beatson in the Autumn to give the gardens some much needed care.
When restrictions started to ease the volunteer team helped with a number of Beatson Cancer Charity events, such as the Bard & His Belles Burns Supper, CeilidhFest, Gin & Sing, Janey Godley’s Soup Pot Tour, our Beatson Ladies Lunch and a range of golf days, bucket collections and football matches.
The Beatson Befriending Service continued to be active, supporting 65 patients/carers who received ongoing support from our volunteer befrienders. 877 calls were made, which helped us reach a landmark 1,000 calls made overall since starting the service.
“Volunteers are magic and lighten our day.” Patient at The Beatson
Our volunteers continued to provide vital support for our services and fundraising activities.
We were supported by 223 volunteers equating to 8706 hours of volunteer time.
Helen Kidd tells us about her role as a Befriender with Beatson Cancer Charity and reaching the landmark 1,000 calls.
We were delighted to see our Befriending Service hit over 1,000 phone calls. The service, which launched in March 2020, was an idea from the volunteering team to help patients with isolation during lockdown.
Since then, it has continued to be a vital support service for patients and will continue to run due to its success.
Helen Kidd is one of the befrienders –she said it’s helped patients through difficult times.
“It makes me feel really good that we have made over 1,000 calls. We must be doing something right. I’ve only been doing it since last year, it’s the only service I do for Beatson Cancer Charity but I hope to get involved in more.
There’s real gratification when at the end of a call you realise that people are feeling better. The feedback from the users of the service is really positive.
There’s always that fear at the beginning of a call when somebody’s feeling down. You can always tell from the voice or their attitude on the phone. But if you persevere and listenI think the key is listening and listening effectively - and then at the end of the call you realise from their voice that their mood has changed.”
beatsoncancercharity.org
“You can always tell when someone’s smiling on the phone, so at the end of the call if you hear that smile you think maybe that’s made a difference.”
Our Wellbeing Services were re-introduced to The Beatson and to almost all our satellite locations safely and in line with the continuing Covid-19 and infection control measures.
We continued to develop My Light, introducing a ‘We’re with you at Home’ series. This included relaxation, meditation and mindfulness, as well as wig care and scarf tying.
Speaking about a patient’s experience, our therapist said:
“With My Light and our wellbeing therapies, she is feeling much calmer and more confident, enough to be able to leave the house and participate in activities”
• The Wellbeing Team further developed the digital support we offer and demonstrated the impact with reported reductions in stress of 80%
• Provided 6,447 therapies (across all areas)
• 1,960 new patients supported
• 3,371 individuals supported
• Resumed services at 7 locations across the West of Scotland
Our team delivered 16, 6-week psychologist led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) groups.
ACT aims to help people to take active steps towards building a life that feels full and meaningful to people, even in the presence of difficulties.
Fear of recurrence continues to offer invaluable support to people who have completed active treatment but live with a fear of their cancer recurring. Our group empowers them to develop techniques to live alongside these thoughts, minimising the impact they have. It also gives the opportunity for peer support and a chance to connect with others who may be in a similar situation.
Clinical assessment tools show that fear of cancer recurrence reduced following the group, which was further reduced at the 12-week follow up. Participants also saw an increase in quality of life scores following the groups with a further increase at 12-week follow up.
This period saw the regular delivery of the Living with Uncertainty groups. This programme aims to support people living with cancer, participating in clinical trials, or those whose prognosis or treatment pathway is less certain, develop skills to lead a full and meaningful life alongside their condition.
Participants experienced an increase in their tolerance of uncertainty after attending the group programme. In addition, there was also an increase in quality of life scores after attending.
98% of respondents rated the group as having been helpful
100% reported that the intervention met their expectations
96% advised that they would recommend the programme to others
100% of respondents rated the group as having been helpful
100% reported that the intervention met their expectations
92% advised that they would recommend the programme to others
“If it wasn’t for this group I would probably still be crying in the same heap as I was before I started the 6-week sessions.”
What is SHAWS: SHAWS empowers patients and their families affected by a cancer diagnosis and treatment to make informed decisions regarding employment.
People who engaged with SHAWS experienced a reduction in their distress scores and an increase in Mental Wellbeing, when comparing scores pre and post SHAWS support.
In this period SHAWS devised and delivered a series of digital practitioner led workshops. These focused on empowering participants with information and techniques to engage positively with work. We ran a series titled ‘We’re With You At Work-Developing Your Toolkit’. This consisted of workshops covering topics such as Planning and Reasonable Adjustments, Confidence Building, Avoiding Burnout and Self-Management. In addition, SHAWS also delivered a psychologist led pilot consisting of two workshops focusing on transitions relating to changing roles after a cancer diagnosis. The sessions were ‘Retirement after a cancer diagnosis’ and ‘Changing roles after a cancer diagnosis’.
Delivery of 2,322 client interactions.
(CBT) sessions.
“I enjoyed hearing other people’s experiences and being reminded of the different situations that people are in…it is helpful to feel part of the group..”
Workshop Participant
Charitable Trusts, Foundations, statutory funders and individuals supported a range of Beatson initiatives that together will support 6,080 people with a cancer diagnosis.
These initiatives span all areas of the charity, supporting patients and families through the provision of Wellbeing Services, Practical Care and Support, Clinical Excellence, Transformational Technology and life-saving research. These initiatives complement or enhance the clinical support available within The Beatson and wider satellite services.
We also secured the final funding required to deliver an MRI scanner for Radiotherapy treatment planning. The new state-of-the-art imaging suite was completed in November and began delivering transformational treatment to an estimated 20,000 people throughout the scanner’s lifetime.
Services funded by philanthropy and IG donors supporting 6,080 people beatsoncancercharity.org
Among many other initiatives funded by the charity, we awarded Dr Abdulla Alhasso a £52,300 grant for enhancing The Beatson’s prostate cancer service. This grant was used to purchase an additional ultrasound machine, imaging probes and a urology treatment chair which will enable The Beatson to:
• Shorten the waiting times for the prostate cancer seeds procedure
• Provide a backup ultrasound machine within the Outpatient Department which will minimise delays in the event of technical difficulties with the existing ultrasound machine
• Provide more flexibility for patient appointments
• Increase overall patient capacity
The additional equipment will help The Beatson to expand the use of a new National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved procedure involving a spacer device. This gel helps to reduce Radiotherapy toxicity by pushing healthy tissue away from the prostate.
At present, this treatment is only available to a limited number of patients, but the additional equipment will enable The Beatson to expand the use of this innovative technology.
With this new technology and equipment, The Beatson is now able to offer radical Radiotherapy to prostate cancer patients who are unable to have Radiotherapy or surgery in the standard way. Furthermore, the additional equipment will help The Beatson to smoothly establish this new service without impacting the general waiting list.
“We have now received all the new equipment required to support the Prostate Cancer Seeds Clinic and the start of the new service involving biodegradable spacers. The Beatson is the only centre in Scotland that is currently able to provide this service, and this has only been achievable with the great support from Beatson Cancer Charity along with our Beatson Management and Outpatient Nursing Team. Once again, I am very grateful for the support that has been provided.”
Dr Abdulla Alhasso, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer CentreGRANTS TOTAL OVER £1.5m
For the BARITONE study which will use the new MRI scanner to assess people with oropharyngeal cancer in greater detail during Radiotherapy treatment. This will enable the study team to modify the treatment if the tumour is not responding, allowing for a more hopeful – and potentially life-changing - outcome.
To develop a two-year pilot project which will deliver an Ambulatory Chemotherapy service for haematology patients at The Beatson. Eligible haematology patients will receive their Infusional Chemotherapy as outpatients in the comfort of their own home by wearing a computerised ambulatory delivery device known as a CADD pump.
The charity awarded complementary grants to maximise the impact of The Beatson’s new MRI scanner and enhance the patient experience. This included a £15,000 grant to purchase an additional MRI compatible mobile folding privacy screen, patient trolley, folding wheelchair, instrument trolley and utility trolley.
To purchase the latest Radiotherapy head and neck immobilisation kits. This equipment will help to increase the accuracy of Radiotherapy, reduce the risk of late side effects and enable clinicians to provide effective personalised treatments.
The charity continued to support staff development by awarding a variety of grants to Beatson staff members. This included a £900 education grant to The Beatson’s Lead MRI Radiographer and MRI Radiographer for attending a study day focusing on Magnetic Resonance in Radiotherapy.
This included a £30,000 grant awarded to The Beatson’s wards and satellite sites to purchase small pieces of equipment, improve clinical environments, and deliver short-term ward projects.
To allow The Beatson to produce a short Pre-habiliation Radiotherapy film. The film will provide a tour of the Radiotherapy Department and show incoming breast cancer patients what to expect during their Radiotherapy treatment to reduce patient anxiety.
We are delighted to share just some of the grants which have been funded by Beatson Cancer Charity throughout this period.
In-person events returned in style allowing our supporters to celebrate together.
December 2021
Sponsored by Community Care Choice
We hosted this new event in 2021 and had a fantastic time on the exquisite Northern Belle train. 270 guests enjoyed a wonderful afternoon travelling through Scotland and taking in the scenery. This was a magical trip for our supporters to enjoy while tucking into a 4-course lunch and champagne. They enjoyed on-board entertainment and each guest took home a festive gift.
March 2022
Sponsored by AutoRek
Kaye Adams played host and was joined by Drew McAdam and Elite Cabaret Show.
550 attendees
Glasgow Ladies Lunch total: £72,208
March 2022
Sponsored by AutoRek
This was due to take place in January but was postponed until March 2022. With Alison Walker as the host, she was joined by Robbie Duncan and Alison Edgar along with Well Plaid Ceilidh Band.
350 attendees
Bard & His Belles Burns
Supper total: £68,000
We worked alongside Glasgow Caledonian University and Slanj to create a lifestyle product for Beatson Cancer Charity. The product had to include our bespoke Beatson Tartan and ensure that it can be manufactured locally and would be sold to raise funds for cancer patients and their families in Scotland.
Fashion students were tasked with designing a lifestyle product range for Beatson Cancer Charity, which they had to pitch to a panel of judges. Isabel Marinho won the competition with her range called ‘Beanntan’ which is Gaelic for mountains. The range of outdoor clothing was inspired by the journey cancer patients and their families go through. Isabel received £500 from competition sponsor Curtis Moore Ltd to further develop her winning concept, which incorporated the charity’s official tartan. She also received £250 prize money, which she very generously donated back to our charity.
“The idea behind the range was to reflect the journey cancer patients, their families and friends go through. I have a personal connection to the charity because every woman in my family has had breast cancer. I think this made it extra emotional for me and I had a kind of flashback to everything my family had been through when I heard that I’d won.”
Isabel Marinho, GCU Student, Competition WinnerWe launched our exclusive membership card that gives discounts across five different categories; Hotel and Travel, Health, Beauty and Wellbeing, Events and Experiences, Bars and Restaurants and Shop Local. The membership card is just £20 per year and is an opportunity for supporters to continue to raise funds whilst getting something back in return.
The Beatson Café provides refreshments and is a safe place for patients and families to spend time together. It is run by staff with support from a team of volunteers. Most food is freshly prepared daily onsite and follows food preparation guidance from the recently introduced legislation of Natasha’s Law.
This energy company generously offered another large donation of £20,000 (in addition to receiving £20,000 in 2019 and once again in 2020). We are delighted that SMS PLC shall continue our relationship with a further series of donations over the next three years.
Hosted by Whisky Auctioneer, this ten-day auction allowed another chance for industry supporters and partners to come together and raise more funds for patients and their families living with cancer.
We were overwhelmed by the auction held originally in 2019 and 2021's auction was equally as successful. This was coordinated by Paul Condron, Brand Director of Edrington, Martin McHugh, Chairman of Martec Engineering Group and Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige, Gordon and MacPhail. £10,000 of the final amount was kindly donated from a fund provided by Edrington and The Robertson Trust. This event raised £71,466.
• Royal Mail in Paisley
• Scania Rentals in Glasgow
• Pulsion, software company in Glasgow
We witnessed a team of brave men who are so passionate about this charity, they jumped out of a plane! The group included business executives, ambassadors and supporters. Jordan Young, actor from Scot Squad and River City, was part of the team. The weather on the day proved to be challenging but everyone managed their jump in the end. Well done to all! This event raised £71,228.
Hundreds of attendees celebrated the launch of the 100th anniversary of WH Malcolm. Nicola Malcolm, granddaughter of founder Donald Malcolm, has hosted the bi-annual ball since 2014 following Donald’s cancer diagnosis and passing. A spectacular £190,000 was donated to the charity, resulting in the bronze award for ‘Best Charity Event’ at the Charity Event Awards later in 2022.
We also received support from local and national organisations including Arnold Clark, AutoRek, Women in Property network, Scottish Motor Trade, proceeds from Go Radio Sparkle Lunch and property agents Park Lane.
Beat 6
In November 2021 Nico Simeone, owner of restaurant chain Six by Nico, opened new venue Beat 6 with all proceeds going to Beatson Cancer Charity. Nico tells us why it was important for him to open the restaurant.
“My wife Valentina was looked after by Beatson Cancer Charity a few years back, and since seeing the support she was given back then I just knew I wanted to do more to support them. We have always been proud to support Beatson Cancer Charity as a family, but opening Beat 6 was always a dream for us.
It goes without saying it will always hold a special place in our hearts. Supporting Valentina but also other close family members over the years, they’ve done so much for us personally. I know so many people reading this will have experienced the care of Beatson Cancer Charity and I am so grateful to be in a fortunate position to support the charity as much as we can.
It was really amazing to see our team, the Six by Nico and the Beatson communities come together to support and celebrate such an amazing charity. We have raised such an amazing amount in the name of charity while enjoying good food, it’s a win-win for absolutely everyone. I had my wife, my parents, kids and my closest friends there on the first night and it was pretty emotional. I got to cook alongside my closest friends in the business since we began, and opening a restaurant in support of Beatson Cancer Charity was one of my biggest dreams.”
Love was in the air when Derek, a porter at The Beatson for 17 years and fiancée Ashleigh, a nurse, entered a GO Radio competition to win their dream wedding (March 2023). They nominated the charity and between them raised a wonderful £13,473.
Over £364,000 has been raised for Beatson Cancer Charity in memory of Gordon Cowan from Lanark, who sadly passed away 25 years ago.
Gordon was just 25 years old when he died on 1st April 1997 following a cancer diagnosis. His close friend Robert Douglas, former Celtic footballer and current Arbroath FC goalkeeping coach, began fundraising 16 years ago with a group of Gordon’s friends. Since then they have put on memorial balls, annual golf days and sponsored walks.
A massive well done to everyone who walked Off the Beatson Track their own way raising £84,781.
Staff and pupils walked ‘Off the Bishy Beatson Track’ and raised a wonderful £13,000. Each year, the school honours former pupil and Beatson Ambassador Francesca Mancini.
Although this event was held virtually, it still managed to raise over £38,000. Dashers from all over the country were able to join in and run in their local area. Supporters at Christmas were equally generous with bucket collections bringing in £8,141.
16
COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING TOTAL £1,161,923
383 Kiltwalkers
308 Runners took part in challenge events
#TeamBeatson
As part of National Dog Week, we staged The Paw Walk, a virtual walk where you could fundraise and enter our Ambassadog competition.
It's proving to be a popular event, with over 130 potential Ambassadogs signing up, proudly wearing our yellow Beatson Bandanas. In total it raised £14,000.
Here’s Milo, who was crowned Ambassadog 2021/22 and helped us throughout the year at various events including the virtual Santa Dash, Off the Beatson Track and sharing our work at The Dog Lover Show at the SEC Glasgow.
Milo was nominated by his owner, Erin Phairs from Irvine, who was treated for cancer 15 years ago. Two years after her cancer treatment finished, Erin developed PTSD following her diagnosis. Erin’s mum got Milo for her to try and help her through the difficult times she was facing. Milo is now her best friend and goes everywhere with her.
“I feel so proud of him. Being able to represent the charity while helping others is amazing. I don’t think I’d be here without Milo. He’s saved my life numerous times.”
Our 2021 Bauble Appeal broke new records when it recorded the highest ever income donation since its launch in 2016. Multichannel marketing was used to support this campaign and we were delighted to debut our first ever TV advert which aired on STV.
The continued growth of this appeal demonstrates just how important it is for our supporters to share their story and stay connected.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, we were able to fund a new £3.6 million state-of-the-art MRI scanner at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The scanner was completed in November 2021. Staff were recruited and training was implemented to allow the scanner to become operational from April 2022.
The campaign also received hundreds of messages of hope providing comforting words to those going through treatment.
We were delighted to see the re-opening of our Wellbeing Centre in The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre following its closure during the pandemic. The wellbeing support that we provide plays a big part in patients’ cancer treatment journey.
Thanks to everyone’s support, we can make them feel better, stronger and more relaxed. All services exist to help people cope with the many aspects and stages of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Over £1.5m spent on Patient and Family Support Services including our Wellbeing Centre and Specialist Health and Work Service.
Over £1.5m of grants awarded to external projects and initiatives, including research grants, medical equipment, clinical staff education, specialist posts and innovative services.
We continue to raise our profile within the NHS networks and extend our reach beyond our patient facing contact. This involves developing stronger relationships with hospital staff by providing regular briefings and updates on how their involvement has helped the charity to fundraise successfully and demonstrate how our funds have been used to help enhance and support their work. cancer coalition network
The Scottish Cancer Coalition is a group of cancer charities that provide cancer services across Scotland. Gillian Hailstones, Beatson Cancer Charity Director of Care Services, sits on the coalition as Vice Chair. The purpose of the group is to ensure the charities involved work together to best represent and support the needs of individuals and families across Scotland who are affected by cancer. We play a pivotal supportive role in this coalition, offering our expertise and experience to help make a difference and improve outcomes for cancer patients in Scotland.
We actively participate in ongoing local and national workstreams with specific input as follows:
• Co-chair of Cancer Prehabiliation Implementation Steering Group and Psychological Therapies Framework Sub-group.
• Chair of West of Scotland Psychological Therapies Support Framework Steering Group.
• Member of the Scottish Cancer Network.
• Co-chair of Scottish Cancer Coalition Patient and Information Services Sub-group.
The Beatson Cancer Charity Strategic Advisory Council is made up of leaders from clinical, research and management roles across the NHS. The council is consulted frequently to design, implement and maximise the impact of our research and grants programmes. We ensure that programmes are invested in wisely and that donors and supporters are informed of the development of our strategy; research and innovation, clinical excellence, and patient care and wellbeing. We will continue to look for ways where we can facilitate the purchase and development of the latest technology and equipment at The Beatson, giving patients access to leading cancer treatments.
We want to say a massive thank you to our funders, volunteers, corporate supporters, donors and users.
In 2021/22, Beatson Cancer Charity's website was visited more than 35,597 times, with website pages viewed 128,563 times.
Throughout the year most website visits came from Glasgow (38.24%), followed by the London (8.26%) and Edinburgh (3.58%).
Our social media channels continue to be important ways to connect with our audiences, with our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels reaching more than 8,814,104 people in 2021-22.
Significant effort was put into the development of our Instagram channel, which has seen a 21.3% increase in followers on the previous year and we have joined TikTok, encouraging younger audiences to learn more about the charity.
Our efforts to promote equality and diversity within the charity gathered momentum in 2021/22. We have launched initiatives to help people make informed decisions about the different ways in which they can support the charity, whether that be through volunteering, fundraising or campaigning. In doing so, we hope to expand our reach and increase our engagement within the community and amongst partners.
As well as delivering sessions to higher education networks to inform a younger audience, we also improved the accessibility of the website. Our Volunteer Equality and Diversity working group shall monitor the impact of our volunteer recruitment drive.
There is a growing focus on our environmental footprint within the charity, with a review underway of our current marketing collateral and literature. A greater focus shall be placed with targeted e-communications, efforts to reduce print stock and use of more recycled materials.
MAY 2021
MRI Appeal was one of our biggest campaigns to date
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER
The launch of Beat 6 was our biggest story followed by our Bauble Appeal
DECEMBER 2021
Santa Dash
Between October 2021-March 2022, our charity featured in over 359 news stories on the radio, in print, online and on TV.
JANUARY 2022
World Cancer Day and community fundraising stories
FEBRUARY 2022
Gordan Cowan Memorial
MARCH 2022
IMAGINE study, Go Radio wedding competition, Ladies Lunch reporting
