Sarah and Zoe reflect on what Voices have achieved over 2025 and look forward to what's coming in the new year.
What a year!
2025 has been a big year for Breast Cancer Now, and for Voices. We honestly couldn’t do what we do without you. You help us understand what matters to people affected by breast cancer and create change for people diagnosed with the disease.
Since the beginning of the year, you’ve gotten involved in 132 different opportunities! This includes
- 58 Breast Cancer Now projects
- 31 research studies
- 43 projects and events from healthcare professionals, academics and other charities.
Some of the highlights from this year include:
Developing our new strategy
We launched our new strategy, Change Happens Now, in September. And you were central to this process. 4 of our Voices were part of the strategic steering group, leading the strategy development throughout the whole process. And 20 Voices got involved in workshops and meetings to help us understand what we should focus on in the next 5 years.
Voices Welcome webinars
At the beginning of the year, we launched our welcome webinars, to improve how we welcome new Voices to our community. These were developed with our 4 Voices welcome volunteers who’ve continued to support the webinars over the past year. So far, 64 people have attended the webinars and it’s been great to get to know you!
Voices EDI advisory group
At the beginning of the year, we worked with 4 Voices to help us understand how to make it easier for people to get involved in projects as much as they’d like. The group helped us develop better guidance for project leads on how to run accessible projects; think about how we can improve our website and bulletin; and think about ways we can reach more people to invite them to join Voices.
Breast Cancer Now conference
In June, 4 Voices spoke as part of panel sessions at the Breast Cancer Now staff conference in London. It was a highlight of the day for our staff to hear from them about how they’ve gotten involved in the charity and what it means to them to work with us.
Improving our website
2 Voices joined an advisory group to work with staff to decide how we can improve our website, and ensure that people can find information and support easily. And many of you took part in research which helped us understand what people who use our website need from it.
Involving Voices in deciding what research we fund
Our research team have been working with some Voices to review and redesign the process for how they decide which PhD research projects we fund. The new process will ensure that people affected by breast cancer have a say in what PhD research we fund.
Supporting us to develop a standard of care of older people
Recently, 8 Voices joined a focus group to help us review a new document which outlines what support older people with breast cancer should have access to. Your feedback and insights have helped us identify some new priorities and will ensure that the standard meets the needs of older people with breast cancer.
Beyond Breast Cancer Now, you’ve gotten involved in projects and research across many different areas. You have:
- Shared your experience of breast cancer with medical students, with healthcare professionals, at conferences, and in local media
- Helped researchers understand how breast cancer affects people’s wellbeing, and how issues or delays in treatment can impact you
- Taken part in research and projects to understand the impact of health inequalities, and ensure people have access to the support they need
- Helped researchers understand the financial impact of breast cancer
- Helped researchers and charities understand how to support people living with or beyond breast cancer to be physically active
- Given feedback on new treatments and imaging technology to help researchers improve the breast cancer pathway
- Shared your perspective of the use of AI in breast cancer screening and care
- Supported the Department of Health in Northern Ireland review breast cancer screening services
Looking forwards
As we look to 2026, we’re excited to work with you more to shape our work and influence breast cancer research, care and support across the UK.
Over the next year, we’ll be continuing to focus on delivering our strategy, and developing projects to make our game changers a reality – look out for opportunities to get involved!
We’ll also be working with our Voices advisory group to improve how Voices is run. Together, we’ll be looking at:
- Advertising Voices to more people to help us ensure that everyone affected by breast cancer can get involved as much as they’d like to
- Improving how we share updates about the projects you’ve been part of
- Hearing from you about your experience of Voices
- Developing training for Voices to support you as you get involved in specific projects
Thank you
Thank you again for everything you do. You are making a huge difference to our work, and to the lives of people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Wishing you a wonderful festive season, however or whether you’re celebrating.
Share your story
If you’ve done something through Voices in the past year that you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Send us an email and let us know what you've been involved in.