Pancreatic Cancer Scotland and Pancreatic Cancer Action have officially joined forces as they look to lead support for those affected by the condition
The merger of two pancreatic cancer charities has been formally completed.
Pancreatic Cancer Scotland (PCS) and Pancreatic Cancer Action (PCA) have now officially joined forces, showing their commitment to make the 2020’s the Decade of Change for the world’s toughest cancer.
The merger brings together two organisations both of which formed in 2010, out of a need for a pancreatic cancer charity focussing on improving symptom awareness, early diagnosis and patient care in Scotland and the UK. Plans for the partnership were first revealed in January.
Helped by a wide community of passionate supporters, both charities have grown organically, enabling them to make huge strides in advancing support, healthcare, awareness, research and education.
PCS and PCA have always enjoyed a positive collaborative working relationship. Addressing the urgent need to take more action and to achieve more together and faster, they have now merged to become one charitable organisation. They have said this will enable considerable progress and impact towards their shared vision of making the 2020’s the Decade of Change for pancreatic cancer.
PCA founder and chief executive Ali Stunt, a 12-year survivor herself, said: “By coming together, we know we can make greater strides in making our vision, a day when everyone is diagnosed early and survives pancreatic cancer, a reality. Consolidating effort makes perfect sense at this time, especially when there are external challenges on organisations within the charity sector.”
Stunt will be chief executive of the merged organisation, with Fiona Brown, development manager of PCS managing the Scotland office, which will continue to use the PCS name. Work is underway to develop the combined organisation’s branding, future vision, strategy and action plans within the spirit of the merger.
Brown said: “Over the coming months our organisations will combine how we work to make sure we deliver our charitable aims together, in the best way we can. This is an exciting time in our 10th anniversary year, to strengthen and grow our combined activities, enabling us to add more value for our supporters, explore more opportunities and take more action to drive positive change.”
Pancreatic cancer surgeon Ross Carter, who co-founded PCS in 2010, said: “PCS emerged in response to the devolution of health care to the Scottish Government, whereby the governance, funding and delivery of health care, adopted a radically different approach of funding of care in Scotland relative to the rest of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland - whilst maintaining the NHS principles of provision at the point of need.
“Ali Stunt and I have known each other as pancreatic cancer activists prior to the formation of both PCS and PCA, and we have extensively collaborated for over a decade on many projects. This merger provides a symbiotic platform whereby both charities can benefit. We can minimise overheads, maximise innovation, optimise patient and carer benefit. Taking this action is an ideal fit for our concept of the Decade of Change.”
PCS was mainly volunteer led until as recent as 2017 and continuing the original ethos of volunteer involvement in Scotland, a new Scottish Development Committee (SDC) of PCA has been created. With all funds raised in Scotland continuing to benefit Scotland, the SDC will bring together trustees, volunteers and employees, to provide an advisory role to support the direction and development of activities and projects.
Carter will be a volunteer trustee of the UK wide organisation and added: “The creation of a new Scottish Development Committee, will reassure our PCS supporters that going forward, we will maintain a focus on the management of pancreatic cancer patients within NHS Scotland."
Dedicated PCS volunteer and trustee Alison Clancy also joins PCA as a volunteer trustee.
