FR-23 THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT GROUP

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory Forum1 Apr 2018FR-23 THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT GROUP Mohammed Quraishi and Shikohe Masood Mohammed QuraishiMohammed Quraishi More articles by this author and Shikohe MasoodShikohe Masood More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2018.02.3043AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The Macmillan Cancer Support Group is one of the largest charities that particularly deals with urological cancer support in the UK, including monetary and information arms. In this spirit, they have invested over 170 million pounds in 2016 alone, affecting 5.4 million patients. Our objective was to disseminate the fascinating background behind the development of this organisation. METHODS A systematic search of online and published material surrounding the setup of the organisation was reviewed. RESULTS This support group was founded in 1911 by Douglas Macmillan, as the Society for Prevention and Relief of Cancer. Douglas Macmillan emerged in the absence of a medical background. His career developed as a civil servant in the Ministry of Agriculture in 1902. His experiences with dealing with the demise of his father, led him to create this foundation with a donation of a mere ten pounds. He was inspired to aim for the development of low cost cancer care units and voluntary nurses, tending to cancer patients in their own homes. The organisation later evolved into the National Society for Cancer Relief, which funded the first Macmillan nurse and cancer care unit in the 1970s. This organisation further evolved to become the Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund in the late 1980s by which point, they had appointed the 500th Macmillan nurse and its first Macmillan funded doctor. By the 1990s, the infrastructure of the organisation expanded bringing in high volume investment, enabling the organisation to dispatch Macmillan nursing 2teams across the UK. The Macmillan National Institute of Education was set up in 1998, appointing 10 lecturers for training, cancer and palliative care specialists. By the year 2000, the Macmillan group had funded their 2000th nurse and set up a mobile cancer information unit with a national outreach programme. The existent advisory telephonic service for patients became integrated for cancer patients in 2009. The organisation has promoted various drives including ' Brave the Shave, ' ' Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning ' and ' Go Sober for October ' which has raised millions of pounds annually. CONCLUSIONS The Macmillan Cancer Support group with its slogan ' No one should face cancer alone ' has played a pivotal national role in supporting cancer patients, where a clear void has been felt. It is humbling to appreciate its modest origins and the legacy that Douglas Macmillan persevered for ; whose benefits, millions of patients experience even after the demise of Douglas Macmillan from cancer over half a century ago. © 2018FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 199Issue 4SApril 2018Page: e1249 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2018MetricsAuthor Information Mohammed Quraishi More articles by this author Shikohe Masood More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...