Radiotherapy UK and #CatchUpWithCancer Campaign

Campaign and Advocacy, PR and Media Relations, Government Relations and Public Affairs

Challenge

The Tendo team was hired by the cancer charity Radiotherapy UK to increase the profile of, and access to, radiotherapy services in the UK. The campaign we helped set up, named Radiotherapy4Life #CatchUpWithCancer, is now a multi-award-winning campaign and has established itself as a leading voice for cancer patients in the UK.

Our Strategy 

As part of our work, we have implemented a programme of reactive and proactive media engagement to call for increased funding of radiotherapy in the NHS, political support for a dedicated government cancer plan, and to build awareness of the rising waiting times for cancer patients across the UK and the effects this has on patient outcomes.

This work included media sell-in, securing broadcast media appearances on shows such as BBC Breakfast and the Jeremy Vine Show, as well as two radiotherapy-focused BBC Newsnight documentaries, drafting opinion pieces, reactive quotes to NHS monthly waiting times, fiscal statements, and other events, and securing regular coverage, including front page leads in most national papers and regional media, with over 50 national and 300 regional hits over the past year. We also achieved a petition with 600,00 signatures demonstrating huge public support, and secured celebrity support for the campaign from  Stephen Fry, Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand and former England and Manchester United football captain

The Tendo team also implemented a series of high-impact parliamentary drop-in events, an outreach programme which led to meetings with the Secretary of State for Health, NHS Chief Executive and multiple Minister. The team also organised a parliamentary cancer summit led by the chairs of cancer-focused All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) which was attended by Government officials, medical colleges, charities, and frontline clinicians.

The Result

The campaign we helped set up, named Radiotherapy4Life #CatchUpWithCancer, is now a multi-award-winning campaign and has established itself as a leading voice for cancer patients in parliament and the media. We have also positioned Professor Pat Price as one of the leading voices on cancer and radiotherapy.  We were the Winner of the Best In-House Consultancy Collaboration at the PRCA Public Affairs Awards and Best Public Affairs Campaign at the PR Week Health and Pharma Awards for our campaign.