PRESS RELEASE - Walk the Walk grants £167,000 to North East cancer charity FACT

Walk the Walk grants £167,000 to North East cancer charity FACT 

Breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, organiser of the iconic MoonWalk London, has granted £167,000 to North East cancer charity FACT (Fighting All Cancers Together). The money will help FACT continue to provide emotional and physical support and much needed counselling for local people living with cancer.

Joanne Smith from Whickham in Gateshead founded FACT after her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2005. She was well looked after medically, but felt there wasn’t much emotional and practical support for her family, including two very young children.

Joanne set up FACT to fill a huge gap in cancer support across the North East and the charity now delivers 20,000 support sessions every year. Breast cancer charity Walk the Walk first made a grant to FACT in 2010, and including the latest funding, has now awarded a total of £830,000.

Joanne Smith, Founder and Chief Executive of FACT said,

"The funding we’ve received over the years from Walk the Walk has enabled FACT to meet the real needs of real people - we offer food parcels, support groups, counselling, complementary therapies, wigs, mastectomy wear, bereavement support, nutritional advice, fitness sessions and much, much more! Following on from the pandemic, and amidst the current tough economic climate, this latest grant of £167,000 is even more crucial than ever in helping FACT to survive as an organisation and to continue to provide our much needed services. We are a small charity with a huge workload and we really couldn’t do what we do without the continued funding support from Walk the Walk." 

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said,

“The work which Joanne and FACT do across the North East to support people living with cancer is nothing short of remarkable. I never cease to be inspired by Joanne’s incredible enthusiasm and her commitment to help those who are in so much need. Walk the Walk is delighted to make another grant to this wonderful charity, especially at this time, with the increased impact of so many people being diagnosed late with secondary cancers, because of the pandemic. The crucial support of charities like FACT is needed now, more than ever.”

Entries are open at walkthewalk.org for the 25th MoonWalk London on Saturday 20th May 2023. Thousands of women and men wearing brightly decorated bras will be taking on a Half Moon (15.1 miles) or Full Moon (26.2 miles) walking challenge at Midnight, to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

For more information, images and interviews with Joanne Smith and Nina Barough, contact:- 

• Lisa Tyrrell at Walk the Walk  01483 741430 or 07554 337566 [email protected]
• Jen Broh at Walk the Walk  01483 741430 or 07974 107999 [email protected]