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Cancerbackup

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Cancerbackup
Formation1984
FounderVicky Clement-Jones
TypeCharitable organisation
PurposeCancer patient support and information
Region served
United Kingdom
Key people
Vicky Clement-Jones (Founder and Chairman)
Maurice Slevin (Chairman, 1985–2008)
Websitewww.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support
Formerly called
BACUP
CancerBACUP

Cancerbackup was a UK charity that provided information and support for cancer patients and their families. Founded in 1984 as BACUP, the charity operated as an independent entity until 2008, when it merged with Macmillan.[1][2]

History

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Vicky Clement-Jones launched BACUP (British Association of Cancer United Patients and their families and friends) in October 1985 as a cancer information service. Clement-Jones was elected chairman and Honorary Director and Maurice Slevin was elected Deputy chairman. On her death in 1985 Slevin took over as chairman and chaired Cancerbackup from 1985 to 2008, when it merged with Macmillan.[3][4]

According to Clement-Jones, the intention was to "kick cancer out of the closet" and end "the conspiracy of silence" affecting cancer patients and their families and friends, which was very prevalent at that time.[5] The name BACUP was changed to CancerBACUP in 1998 and to Cancerbackup in 2006, in an effort to more clearly define what the charity did.[6]

In 1985, there was no publicly available internet and Cancerbackup provided the only publicly available cancer information service at that time, via telephone, e-mail, and letter and also produced booklets on all common cancers as well as hundreds of factsheets on individual cancer drugs.[3][7]

In the first two years, over 30,000 inquiries were received: 23,527 (80%) were from women, 9,445 (32%) were from cancer patients, 11,574 (39%) were from relatives of patients, and 2,869 (10%) were from health professionals.[3] By 2010, Cancerbackup was helping over 50,000 cancer patients and their families per year.[8]

In 1997, in the early days of the internet, Cancerbackup launched its website with all its publications available in full online.[9] The new site designed for cancer patients featured over 1,500 pages of cancer information covering all aspects of cancer, plus a searchable database of over 700 support groups and organisations for cancer patients in the UK.[10]

In 2008, Cancerbackup merged with Macmillan Cancer Support, a British charity that provides specialist health care, information, and financial support to people affected by cancer, and Macmillan Cancer Support has continued to provide and expand the service.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Twenty-one years of Cancerbackup charity". UK Parliament. 2006-07-17. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  2. ^ a b Bullock, Tim (2021-10-04). "There when we are needed most – About Macmillan Jersey". Channel Eye. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  3. ^ a b c Slevin ML, Terry Y, Hallett N, Jefferies S, Launder S, Plant R, Wax H, McElwain T (September 1988). "BACUP--the first two years: evaluation of a national cancer information service". BMJ. 297 (6649): 669–72. doi:10.1136/bmj.297.6649.669. PMC 1834344. PMID 3140928.
  4. ^ Lake, Howard (2008-01-12). "Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancerbackup to merge". UK Fundraising. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  5. ^ Illman, J. (2000-09-06). "Patients' Voices Grow Louder in Great Britain". Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 92 (17): 1373a–1375. doi:10.1093/jnci/92.17.1373-a.
  6. ^ "Find and update company information". GOV.UK. 2024-12-17. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  7. ^ "A short history of the internet". National Science and Media Museum. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  8. ^ "CancerBACKUP". CANCERactive. 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  9. ^ "Cancerbackup: A brief history". yumpu.com. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  10. ^ Rubinelli, S.; Schulz, P.; Paolini, P. (2008). "Argumentation in Good News Communication on Genetic Breast Cancer: The Experience of OPERA". Semantic Scholar. Retrieved 2025-02-26.