Northstar Ventures, through the North East Social Investment Fund (NESIF), has invested £120,000 into Coping with Cancer North East, alongside a grant of £30,000 from the County Durham Community Foundation.
The funding will help them to grow their fundraising capabilities and launch a new support service for employers which will help to support those impacted by cancer to return to work and minimise the trauma of their diagnosis.
Coping with Cancer provides a range of complementary therapies, acupuncture, counselling, coaching, group work, advocacy, practical advice and guidance for cancer patients and their families. The Charity was founded over 40 years ago and has an excellent reputation for supporting patients through extremely difficult circumstances. They work closely with clinicians and other voluntary groups in the region and operate in hospitals and community centres across the North East. They support over 1,600 patients and family members currently as well as actively coordinating Cancern, a new network of over 140 voluntary and community charitable organisations in the region supporting cancer patients, in partnership with Macmillan.
Tom O’Neill, Investment Manager at Northstar Ventures, said: ‘We are delighted to support Maggie and the team at Coping with Cancer North East. This funding will enable them to grow the organisation and launch new services, which will mean more people can access the high quality and compassionate services they provide. NESIF is focused on supporting organisations that deliver significant social impact in the region and Coping with Cancer is an excellent example of this.’
Maggie Bailey, CEO of Coping with Cancer, said: ‘1 in 2 of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetimes. We need to be here for future patients, to minimise the effect cancer has on their lives. This investment will enable us to employ a specialist fundraiser to increase our future income to meet these needs. We also want to work with local employers to share knowledge and understanding about cancer. The North East has the highest incidence of cancer in the UK and we need to work together to reduce the impact it has.’
Michelle Cooper, Chief Executive of grant-making organisation County Durham Community Foundation who contributed £30,000 toward the initiative, said: ‘Coping with Cancer is an essential part of the charitable landscape in the North East. It’s fantastic to see this investment in their development and services, which mean so much to so many.
Having returned to work after cancer myself, I know how complex and emotional it can be. Both the employer and the employee are likely navigating something they never expected. This new service from Coping with Cancer means employers can support people in ways that work for the individual, giving them the autonomy to return to work safely and creating a better, brighter tomorrow for those recovering from cancer.’
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