FBC Team Accomplishments 2022
As we near the end of this year, we’re taking a moment to celebrate some of our proudest achievements. From meeting with bladder cancer patients & carers face-to-face, working on the bladder cancer awareness month campaign, and pushing for vital policy change- we have all been super busy.
Have a read of what each team member is most proud of.
Lydia Makaroff
Chief Executive
In 2022, I was so pleased to be able to meet with bladder cancer patients & carers face-to-face. Listening to their stories made me even more determined to fight bladder cancer - in the UK and worldwide.
Alison Wise
Communications
This year, I really enjoyed working on a successful campaign for Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in May! Throughout the year it's been great to support Fight Bladder Cancer in developing its storytelling to continue to raise awareness and push for policy change. Also, I've loved being part of such a passionate, committed and hard-working team
Vicky Sales
Communications Coordinator
I joined the team at the start of 2022, and was welcomed with open arms by everyone! I have loved speaking with patients to tell their stories to advocate for awareness and change, as bladder cancer is unknown by so many, and there is a lot of stigma associated with it. Successfully getting bladder cancer stories in publications, from NHS campaigns to local newspapers, always makes me overjoyed as I know this could help even just one person who was previously unaware of what bladder cancer is, know the signs and symptoms, and get to a GP. All in all, I have had a fabulous year with Fight Bladder Cancer and I look forwards to helping to raise more awareness of this disease in 2023.
Sana Gilfillan
Policy and Communications Manager
It has been a delight rejoining the Fight Bladder Cancer team after my maternity leave. I have been working with the rest of our team to organise a webinar on living with a stoma and have enjoyed representing the charity at both the British Association of Urological Nursing and Scottish Cancer Conferences in person this year.
Sue Williams
Office Manager
I am proud to offer support and information to desperate people who need urgent information and reassurance. I am proud that Fight Bladder Cancer has such good information available in the form of our fantastic Patient Information Booklets. I think that I have received more referral calls this year from newly diagnosed and yet-to-be-diagnosed patients, and I am pleased that I can help ease their panic with good information and the offer of our support services.
I am proud that the Fight Bladder Cancer team interacts well despite mostly working from home. We have reinforced our connections with Nurses and Patient and Carers following the long period of Covid, which seemed to isolate so many people.
As our office hub is in the process of being dismantled, ready for our move to the new office in the Chinnor Village Centre, I hope that we can continue to be pleased with all that the charity does, from quite modest surroundings.
It was also great to organise and help with the Wee Walk in Chinnor in May. Our first since before the lockdown. Luckily, we had a lovely day for the event, and some lovely village supporters turned up.
Amy Jacob
Supporter Care & Community Engagement Officer
This year I've enjoyed supporting our wonderful fundraisers as they went out and about all over the world raising awareness for bladder cancer! I also loved helping to organise some of this year's Bladder Cancer Awareness Month activities and going on a Wee Walk in Chinnor with the Fight Bladder Cancer team.
Melanie Costin
Support Services Manager
back to blog...A lot has been accomplished this year to help patients and carers of bladder cancer, and it was an honour to present our poster showing some of our work at the European Association of Urology congress this year and pick up a top three award. It was great to meet so many people in 'real life' conferences again, the atmosphere has been fantastic. People have been finally catching up with old friends and colleagues, and new ones too.
On a personal level it has felt very special to work with a group of people that have really pulled together this year as a team, all working towards the same goal. So proud of the Wee Family.