It can be the nightmare of every introvert.
You want to raise money or you want to raise awareness for a cancer charity but have found that doing it yourself can feel somewhat impossible. Ten points for trying, though!
When you are trying to raise awareness for any charity, it is inevitable that you will need to turn to others for support and tips on how best to do this. For many who have successfully rallied for change for cancer charities (or other charities), this can look like turning to the local community to optimise for success.
How can doing this make a real change to the outcome? Here are a few reasons to consider.
Help with Fundraising
A key benefit of turning to your local community for help when wanting to raise money for Macmillan is that they can help you come up with ideas on how best to do it. Who knows? Maybe the person who runs the local bakery has a few more success stories behind fundraising than just selling cakes.
By talking to others who may have already taken part in fundraisers, you up the chance of any cancer support initiative or drive being successful.
Awareness of the Cause
Most people have lost someone to cancer or have even had the stress of experiencing cancer themselves. So, by turning to community members, there will likely be a push towards cancer prevention, especially if you have reached out to the medical community. This kind of awareness/education about cancer can also be levied in schools and on social media, helping to educate the public while also raising awareness.
Volunteer Support
As mentioned before, many people have lost someone to cancer and will want to do their bit to help those who have been diagnosed with it.
What you may find when you turn your attention to cancer support initiatives in the community is that many people will be willing to donate their time to help those who have cancer, whether it is by supporting them on a day out or simply taking them for coffee. This will have the obvious benefit of the person who has cancer not feeling so alone and will also bring the community closer together.
Advocacy
Most people feel very strongly about cancer, and, as such, by reaching out to community members for help, you may inadvertently get the attention of those in the medical field who may be able to advise about areas in clinical care that they feel are lacking. This can lead to advocacy for cancer patients, which can quickly lead to a change in healthcare policies, such as access to affordable treatments and aftercare.
Aiming for More Support
If you turn to the local community to help with cancer support initiatives, you may find that there will be people willing to donate spaces for cancer patients to meet up and get access to support. Support in such trying times doesn’t have to come from just medical staff, and by bringing those who have cancer together, they can feel less isolated, which will have a positive impact on their mental health.
Author Bio
Lizzie Reynell-O’Brien graduated with an MSc in clinical psychology from Goldsmiths University and started her small writing company, Just Write, in 2018, writing solely about mental health diagnostics in the NHS. She is passionate about writing as an art form, and when she’s not typing, you will find her walking her two rescue Jack Russells or in her garden planting wildflowers.
