Archive: Wed Mar 2016

1. Merged breast cancer charity unveils name, Breast Cancer Now

   23rd March 2016 9:42 am Leave a Comment

   Governance | Hugh Radojev | 15th June 2015

   Breast Cancer Now, which was formed by the merger of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Campaign, has launched today with a new ad campaign and the ambition to “stop breast cancer deaths by 2050”.

   The new organisation, which will have an income of around £27m, according to the latest accounts filed with the Charity Commission, has unveiled its logo and branding today.

   According to a statement, the new name and brand: “conveys the urgency required to stop women in the UK dying from breast cancer. Its mark representing the endeavour, dedication and hearts of the supporters and researchers behind the charity’s life-saving work.”
   The brand was created by London-based creative consultancy The Clearing.

   Fiona Hazell, director of communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: “It’s great finally to share our new name and identity; today marks the start of a new era.

   “We have the brightest scientific minds across the UK already working hard behind the scenes to discover how to prevent breast cancer, how to detect it earlier and how to stop it taking lives. We want everybody who’s been touched by breast cancer to join us, to stop lives being lost to this terrible disease for good.”

   The charity wouldn’t say how much the new branding cost to create, Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now told Civil Society News: “The Clearing tendered for the work as part of a four-way pitch process, and we therefore secured their time and expertise at a very competitive rate – they significantly discounted their usual fee for this project.”

   Breast Cancer Now’s first television advert (embedded below) portrays real breast cancer sufferers and outlines the charity’s aim to end breast cancer by 2050.

   Breast Cancer Now would not disclose the cost of the ad, but Morgan said: “The brand launch campaign will generate significant income for the charity, and we have also been able to maximise our spend across the campaign – which runs from June until November – by working with some agencies and media owners through discounted rates, or even completely pro-bono. We’ve also used our in-house expertise wherever possible to minimise costs even further.”

   When asked about the organisation’s plans for the rest of the year, Morgan said: “This year, we’ll be focusing on secondary breast cancer – where breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body – which is currently incurable. It kills nearly 12,000 women a year and there is so much in research, treatment and care that we need to improve.

   “We’ll be looking to build on existing collaborations with corporate partners and other charities and institutions, as well as developing new ones, to make this happen.”

2. Breast cancer charity merger is right – but it’s hard to lose good colleagues

   9:37 am Leave a Comment

   Baroness Delyth Morgan | Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Now | Friday 26 June 2015

   Because of the research progress that’s been made on breast cancer in the last 25 years, the disease is now far better understood and the ongoing challenge to overcome it has become much more clearly defined.

   That is why in 2013, when Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer published five-year strategies, we had very similar aims. Both organisations committed to putting an end to breast cancer deaths in the UK, and it became apparent that our strategies around how to do that were complementary.

   We were both working to prevent breast cancer, improve early diagnosis and develop new treatments for all subtypes of the disease. We also shared a determination to boost research efforts into secondary breast cancer, where the disease spreads to another part of the body and which is currently incurable.

   It had become possible to plot the course of the future for breast cancer research and, with such similar strategic aims, it became clear that merging would lead to faster progress in research and a stronger voice for breast cancer patients. It made sense to unite our ambition, as Breast Cancer Now.

   How we made it work

   This was a merger motivated by scientific strategy rather than by financial necessity, although one of the benefits of uniting will be the opportunity to use our supporters’ money more efficiently. And it was also crucial to deliver the merger at pace; announcing in mid-November and launching Breast Cancer Now by mid-June was a very deliberate decision.

   We wanted to create a breast cancer research charity of scale, but where there was duplication, we have had to reduce our headcount. There has been a total reduction of approximately 25% in posts. While building a structure that would enable us to realise our strategic vision was crucial, saying goodbye to close colleagues – some of whom had been with our legacy organisations for over a decade – was really hard.

   Our staff needed little persuading of the rationale, but effective internal communication around the process has been very important. Our approach, at each stage, has been to tell our “nearest and dearest” first, holding monthly briefings from the chief executives, circulating weekly email updates, and using regular staff surveys to gather feedback and help us understand areas of concern. We are also undertaking a culture audit to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each legacy charity’s environments.

   Throughout, we tried to remain both driven and reassured by the fact that we knew it was the right thing to do for women with breast cancer. Our beneficiaries, supporters and partners have been at the heart of the decisions we’ve made. They’ve informed key decisions, in the run-up to merger through to our brand development and launch, and this is something we’ll certainly be continuing with as part of an ongoing stakeholder engagement programme.

   Other charities should consider it too

   Since we first announced our intention to merge, I have been asked frequently for my opinion on duplication and competition in the sector. Every situation is different of course, and our two charities found themselves in a very specific moment of resonance, but what I would say is that merging within the sector should be talked about more positively. It should be seen as a real opportunity, enabling organisations to reach common goals faster together, rather than a sign of weakness.

   More could certainly be done to help charities who would like to investigate merging; there needs to be better guidance available, as well as more open and positive dialogue on the subject within the sector. For those charities considering merging, I would simply urge they ensure that uniting is unquestionably the right thing for themselves and their beneficiaries. For us, it absolutely was.

   Our future as one charity

   In terms of the kind of organisation we want to be, collaboration will be the key to everything Breast Cancer Now does, from our approach to research to our campaigning and fundraising. Continuing to connect our staff to the purpose of our charity will also be vital. It is so important to me that they have a real sense of ownership and are able to talk about breast cancer in their terms – particularly as many already have a close personal connection to the cause.

   The beating heart of Breast Cancer Now will always be our wonderful supporters, from our regional fundraising groups to our strategic partners. We are delighted that the two sets of passionate supporters we brought together have responded so positively to our new identity and vision. And, that they no longer have to decide which breast cancer research charity to support.

   Together, we are now defined by a bold and united cause. As portrayed in our launch campaign, The Last One, we believe that if we act now, by 2050 everyone who develops breast cancer will live. But we simply cannot do this alone. If we are to finally stop women dying from breast cancer, we will need everyone involved in and affected by the disease to stand with us, now.