METUPUK Announces Charity Status
METUPUK (Metastatic Exchange To Unleash Power United Kingdom) are very proud to announce their registration with the Charity Commission, marking an important new chapter for the UK’s only metastatic breast cancer advocacy group.
METUPUK is a volunteer organisation run by people living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), people with primary breast cancer, and the families of those who have MBC. METUPUK is campaigning for MBC to have improved survival outcomes and change it from a terminal illness to a chronic illness. We want to INCREASE the current survival time from a median of 2-3 years to 20 years or longer and end the death sentence that MBC patients currently face.
The group has three core objectives – to increase awareness and education surrounding MBC; to lobby for more research and speed up access to drugs; and to improve patient treatment and care.
MBC occurs when a breast cancer cell has travelled from the primary breast site through the blood or lymphatic system to a distant area of the body. When this happens, it becomes Stage 4 cancer and is an incurable disease. Amongst those diagnosed with early-stage Breast Cancer, approximately 30% will go on to develop MBC.
Jo Taylor, Founder of MetUpUK said: “Gaining charity status has been a lengthy and detailed process, spearheaded by members Madeleine Meynell, Connie Johncock, and Andy Figgins as well as a small team of members, but we are incredibly happy that we have been granted charitable status so we can continue to campaign for action and accountability for all MBC patients.
Charity status opens up a multitude of fundraising opportunities for us, it will help us increase the awareness of what we do, and help us change the lives of so many people living with metastatic breast cancer.
We have big plans for the coming months and years and being a registered charity takes us a step closer to turning those plans into a reality.”
More news is to follow with regards to our Trustees, but full charity details can be found here.