World Cancer Day is a moment to reflect not only on medical progress, but on the lived realities of the millions of people whose lives are reshaped by a cancer diagnosis each year. While advances in detection and treatment continue to improve outcomes, cancer remains a profound personal, social and economic shock — one that too often exposes inequalities in access to care, information and support.
Since 2018, the Candriam Institute for Sustainable Development has donated a total of €4.1 million to the fight against cancer, one of its core pillars. The Institute supports leading oncology organisations that combine innovation with social outreach and patient care. Among them, let’s focus on Macmillan Cancer Support, the UK’s leading source of cancer support— and one of the charities supported by the Institute.
Across the UK, around three million people are currently living with cancer, a figure expected to rise to four million by 2030. Many will live longer with cancer, but not necessarily better, as health systems struggle with growing demand, workforce constraints and delays in diagnosis and treatment. In this context, comprehensive, person-centred support has never been more essential.
Care That Extends Beyond the Clinic
This is the role Macmillan Cancer Support plays every day. In 2024, Macmillan supported 2.4 million people affected by cancer across the UK. Through its nurses, advisers, volunteers and digital platforms, the charity provides physical, emotional and financial support from the moment of diagnosis, for as long as it is needed. From its free and confidential Support Line to its online communities and in-person services in hospitals and communities, Macmillan is there to help people understand their diagnosis, make informed decisions about treatment and cope with the wider impact of cancer on their lives –support that is particularly valuable when public services are overstretched. For many people, this combination of clarity, reassurance and practical help provides a vital sense of stability at a time of deep uncertainty.
A growing focus on fairness and equity in cancer care
Beyond individual stories, Macmillan recognises that cancer does not affect everyone equally. People with vulnerable backgrounds often experience poorer outcomes and greater barriers to support. Through community-led initiatives, tailored outreach and holistic needs assessments, Macmillan works to ensure care is shaped by people’s real lives — not just their clinical needs.
Macmillan also plays a crucial role in strengthening the wider cancer care system. By working with governments, healthcare providers and partners across the UK, the charity advocates for timely diagnosis, personalised care and a well-resourced workforce. In 2024, Macmillan nurses, support workers and palliative care nurses supported an estimated 700,000 people living with cancer, helping to improve experiences across diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and end-of-life care. Where dignity, choice and compassion matter most, this specialist support can make an immeasurable difference.
From Commitment to Care: Funding That Makes a Difference
This breadth of impact is only possible thanks to sustained philanthropic commitment.
The funding allocated to Macmillan in 2025 supported high-impact services:
- A Macmillan Nurse for 76 days helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical, and emotional support;
- 50 hours of Macmillan Support Line phone service operation. In this time, the team dealt with 415 calls and web enquiries from people who want questions answered, need practical or financial support;
- 1,120 sessions of emotional support to a person living with cancer with a Macmillan Buddy;
- 830 hours of operations of the Online Community forum. This helped 46,484 people affected by cancer in the UK read, share and experience support forum each other on anything to do with cancer— from treatments to coping with everyday life, to the death of a loved one.
On World Cancer Day, the message is clear: tackling cancer is not only about advancing treatments, but about ensuring dignity, fairness and humanity throughout the cancer journey. As more people live with and beyond cancer, integrated, person-centred support will be as critical as medical innovation.
Through long-term partnerships between charities, healthcare systems and responsible funders, it is possible to build a future in which no one is left to face cancer alone. World Cancer Day is an opportunity to reaffirm that shared commitment — and to recognise the collective effort required to make cancer care fairer, more compassionate and more resilient for all.
To know more about Candriam Institute’s impact:
Read our annual report