Walk the Walk grants almost £80,000 to charity Make 2nds Count

L-R: Dr Sarah Thomas, Head of Research and Education at Make 2nds Count and Patient Trial Advocate Senior Research Nurse Vivienne Wilson

We’re delighted to have awarded almost £80,000 to the wonderful charity Make 2nds Count, towards its Patient Trials Advocate (PTA) service. Make 2nds Count is dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer. 

The first of its kind in the UK, the PTA service supports patients with secondary breast cancer, by connecting them with clinical trials, which have the potential to improve outcomes and extend life.

Patients undergo an initial one-to-one, hour-long phone consultation with specialist nurses who offer guidance on clinical trials, address queries, and assist in searching for suitable trials. The ultimate goal is to empower patients to discuss clinical trials as a viable part of their treatment.

Since its pilot launch in 2021, the PTA service has provided support to 500 patients. Secondary breast cancer claims the lives of 1,000 women in the UK each month and is currently affecting 61,000 people.

Patient Trial Advocate, Senior Research Nurse Vivienne Wilson, expressed her enthusiasm for the service:

"I've been working with Make 2nds Count for over two years now, and I think this service really is one of a kind. I enjoy the opportunity to talk to many secondary breast cancer patients, sharing my knowledge with regards to available trials and guiding them to explore their options."

Margaret Irvine is one such patient. She was diagnosed eight years ago with secondary breast cancer after an original diagnosis of primary breast cancer nine years before that. She says:

“The worst part of being diagnosed was telling my close family - any negative changes are always hard to deal with. Finding information is never easy as most of it is very negative or outdated when beginning to research, but I tried my best and the unit I originally attended for treatment was very supportive. As my treatment progressed, I became aware of Make 2nds Count and I started talking to people about the PTA Service. Access to the service has given me new hope and support, as well as a new way of opening discussions with my treatment team and allowing myself and others as patients to have more control of the journey we are on. This is the main reason I decided to share my experience with others too.”

Margaret Irvine, who has used the PTA service.

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

“I am really delighted to share the news of the grant which Walk the Walk has awarded to Make 2nds Count. This funding will specifically contribute towards the charity’s ground-breaking Patient Trials Advocate Service. This much-needed service is designed to bring together women with breast cancer, who might not otherwise have had access to clinical trials, and for many of whom this is the last resort of treatment. By collaborating, charities can make such a huge difference to so many people, and we are incredibly proud to be supporting Make 2nds Count and what they achieve in raising awareness and funding research for secondary breast cancer. Whilst Walk the Walk supports its own campaigns, grants like this one are very exciting and wonderful to share with Walk the Walk’s fundraisers – I cannot thank these generous and wonderful people enough!”

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