‘I’ve stayed with Macmillan because I love the work I do’
Lynda Thomas is chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity she joined 20 years ago.
One in two people will get a cancer diagnosis at some point in their life. Currently, there are almost 3m people living with cancer in the UK. As chief executive of Macmillan, which helps thousands of people every day, my primary focus is to ensure those with cancer have access to the right support so they can live life as fully as possible.
I work in an ever-changing environment and no two days are the same. An average week for me includes juggling meetings with donors, spending time with people affected by cancer, speaking to politicians and financial planning.
After graduating, I worked in consumer PR for several years. It was great fun, but I eventually decided I’d rather do something that I got more value from. After having my first baby in 1995, I started volunteering at Action for Children. Things were different back then. I walked into their office to enquire about roles, and they asked me to start the following Monday. Eventually, they offered me a full-time job. I went on to work for the NSPCC for five years, then in 2001, I was hired to work as joint head of media at Macmillan Cancer Support, where I worked my way up.
My life hadn’t previously been touched by cancer, but in 2013 my mother and sister were diagnosed with breast cancer a day apart. Fortunately, they both survived. They got fantastic support from Macmillan and
I saw first-hand what an amazing charity it is. I still get really affected when a patient that I’ve been working with dies. It’s always upsetting – I take the view that if I’m ever not upset by that, then it’s time for me to hang up my hat.
I’ve now been with the charity for 20 years and I’ve stayed because I love the work I do. We have 1,650 staff members, 9,500 Macmillan Professionals and 20,000 volunteers across the country, all of whom are amazing. I feel proud of all the work we’ve done to make the lives of people with cancer easier and better. In 2009, we successfully campaigned for prescription charges to be dropped for all people living with cancer. It was a big deal because it meant that people didn’t have to worry about being able to afford vital medication. Things like that really make a big difference.
During the pandemic, our volunteers were heartbroken when they had to stop seeing patients face to face. Thankfully, everyone found other ways to help, such as speaking over the phone or volunteering at vaccination centres. But the lack of live events meant we faced a devastating loss of income. There were moments when I wondered how the charity was going to survive. Luckily, the financial impact wasn’t as huge as I’d anticipated, but it was challenging.
The pandemic has also forced patients to undergo chemotherapy alone and increased waiting times for vital services. There are still thousands of people missing treatment for cancer since the start of the pandemic. We’re determined not to let cancer become the forgotten C. It will be so wrong if people die from a cancer that could have been treated if it was diagnosed earlier.
This Christmas could be a difficult time for many people who’ll be diagnosed with late stages of cancer after missed appointments. We’ll be there for them and their families.
I hope that I’ll be back with my own family in Wales. Usually, we’ll all go for a long walk along the beach on Christmas Day. Last year, we couldn’t travel for our usual festivities. Being apart made me realise that Christmas isn’t the same without family by your side.
macmillan.org.uk
We won’t let cancer become the forgotten C