COLUMN: Donate to charity and give a real gift at Christmas

Amy Hebdon is the fundraising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support in Rotherham. Each month she updates The Rotherham Advertiser readers on the latest stories and developments by supporters across the town.

But my heart lifted to see that in the same poll more than one in four (27 per cent) of those who exchange gifts at Christmas would prefer a donation made to their favourite charity than receive a gift at all.

At Macmillan we know that Christmas can be a particularly difficult time of year for people living with cancer and their loved ones, and every donation to Macmillan means we can continue to support local people affected by cancer in Rotherham.

A donation of around £30 could pay for one Macmillan nurse for an hour, helping people living with cancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.

If you’re thinking of swapping a traditional gift for a charity gift this year, Macmillan’s virtual gifts are a great way to make a donation in someone’s name.

Every 90 seconds someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer. Macmillan relies almost entirely on public donations to funds its vital cancer services like our fabulous Macmillan Information and Support Centre, our Macmillan Benefits Advisors, and the many Macmillan Professionals we have working in the hospital.

None of these vital services would be possible without your generous support.  So, as the year draws to a close I wanted to thank you all. For the time you give up, the hard work you put in to either organise an event, train for a challenge event, hold a coffee morning. You've helped Macmillan to help us be right there with people affected by cancer at Christmas, and throughout the year. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for 2020.

To help us this Christmas, donate today at macmillan.org.uk/christmas2019.

Anyone looking for support with cancer over Christmas can access the Macmillan Online Community 24/7 at macmillan.org.uk, to share their experiences and concerns with other people affected by cancer.