Action Cancer offers lifesaving early detection/screening and prevention & support services.

It’s what they do best.

‘At Action Cancer our doors are open– we are fully operational at the moment and here for those in our local communities who need us most at this time of worry and isolation – especially for those with cancer..!

However we need to be resilient and innovative to survive and grow.’

EVERY YEAR Action Cancer supports over 35,000 people affected by cancer in NI.

It receives no regular government funding. The demand for its services is at an all-time high with many people affected by a cancer diagnosis currently feeling extremely isolated and anxious and desperately in need of their support.

What has changed in how they deliver their services during the pandemic at Action Cancer:

Breast Screening
After having closed their doors in March due to the pandemic they recommenced screening in mid-August.

Lead by a team of professional radiographers their 3D breast screening service is pioneering and lifesaving. Action Cancer implemented all COVID-19 safety measures and their radiographers now wear full PPE including masks, visors, gloves and aprons and more time is left between each appointment to completely santise touchpoints and deep clean of the clinic.

As a result the cost of this service (which is free of charge to the service user) has increased from £80 to £120 per mammogram.

They have now managed to screen all the ladies who had their appointments postponed since lockdown began and appointments are now completely booked until April 2021.

Big Bus (BB)
Action Cancer’s mobile detection unit is back on the road offering breast screening and MOT healthchecks.

Again radiographers and Health Promotion Officers delivering appointments are in full PPE, there is only one person allowed to wait on the Bus at any one time and appointments take longer will full mitigation in place and deep cleaning after each screening and health check.

Fortunately funds for a brand new Big Bus had been secured prior to lockdown, as the old one reaches the end of it’s life cycle. The new BB will be on the road – April 2021 –over next 15 years BB will screen 70,000 ladies and provide 30,000 healthchecks visiting over 3,000 local communities in NI.

MOT Healthchecks /Health Promotion
Action Cancer adapted all cancer awareness & schools programmes to make them available virtually – Health Check’s taking place at ACH and on the BB. Step into Action lifestyle goal setting sessions , Cancer Awareness and health checks are all free of charge to your employees and all available digitally.

Action Cancer offers a huge range of Therapeutic Support Services. Again as soon as restrictions allowed, Action Cancer reintroduced Complementary and Counselling services.

They were made available both face to face and virtually where more appropriate for those undergoing cancer treatments. Action Cancer works out of Altnagelvin at Ward 50 (ONCOLOGY) and the Wellbeing Centre in partnership with Macmillan as well as across rest of NI in the RVH and The Ulster Hospital.

Action Cancer offers a huge range of other support services as well.

For more information on how you can support any of our early detection, prevention and support services, by leaving a gift in your will please contact lmccusker@actioncancer.org or visit actioncancer.org/donate/Legacies-and-wills

You can also write your Will for free with our partner Bequeathed.

www.bequeathed.org/willtogive – making it even easier to leave a gift in your Will to Action Cancer.

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