Maggie's Swansea | The awareness the campaign has raised has made a real difference
Maggie’s Swansea believe the ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign has played a valuable role in raising awareness of the cancer support charity’s wide range of free services as the year-long partnership with Swansea City draws to a close.
The 2023-24 season saw the club partner with Maggie’s Swansea centre, which is based in the grounds of Singleton Hospital and offers practical and emotional support to anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
The ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign was incorporated into the design of the Swans’ eye-catching pink third shirt. The kit featured coloured spots representing some of the most common types of cancer.
Those spots were utilised as a means for people to talk openly about their cancer experience, and its collective and individual effects, and the Jack Army were able to share their stories via a digital version of the shirt.
Club great Alan Curtis MBE and entertainer, broadcaster and lifelong Swans fan Kev Johns MBE were among those inspired to tell their stories and, for World Cancer Day, men’s and women’s players added their own voices and journeys to the campaign.
That exposure and discussion about the work Maggie’s Swansea do for people in our city and community ensured the campaign made a tangible impact for the charity, while nearly £30,000 was raised in donations.
“It’s been a fantastic campaign. We’ve really enjoyed working with Swansea City,” said Lucia Osmond, centre fundraising manager for Maggie’s Swansea.
“The club’s media team spent time at our centre to understand how Maggie’s really works, and I think until you spend some time at the centre you don’t really get the feeling of what we do differently in terms of cancer support. Having that understanding and communication has been incredible.
“Often there’s a view that Maggie’s is just for women, or women of a certain age, perhaps because of the name; but we are there for everyone who is affected by cancer.
“One of our key objectives is getting more men of all ages through the door to use the centre and support services that are available. Having the partnership with Swansea City has been incredible because so many Swans fans are male, and it was great to be able to reach them with our message.
“We’ve had positive conversations where people have seen something the club has shared - or that we’ve reshared about a story we’ve put together - and it’s encouraged someone to come through the door, which is exactly what we want. Or it might have made someone think about doing some fundraising for Maggie’s.
“It’s been a fantastic awareness piece and we’re so grateful to have been able to work with the football club this season.”
The pink third kit proved popular among supporters, and the message behind it resonated right across the football community; with the project shortlisted at the EFL Awards.
On matchdays where the Swans wore the pink kit, supporters’ experiences were shared via the club’s official social media channels.
And the prominence of the kit and its meaning also played a part in encouraging people to reach out to Maggie’s.
“We’ve had so many visitors come in and say they’ve bought the third kit because they’ve seen the connection to Maggie’s,” Lucia added.
“It’s been a brilliant idea, and we’ve had a lot of Swans fans who come to the centre talk about it, and it’s a beautiful kit too.
“This campaign has exemplified what Maggie’s means to people. A lot of people are affected by cancer - one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime - and we’re there for everyone including families, so anyone could use our centre at some point in their lives.
“But, with the club being community-focused, it’s been the perfect partnership. Hearing people's stories has been really powerful and has helped us get our message out.
"Someone like Kev Johns – he’s been a longtime supporter of Maggie’s anyway - but he’s had his own experience and journey this year, and him sharing his story has highlighted that."
Another highlight of the campaign for Lucia and others at Maggie’s was World Cancer Day.
The charity turned the Swansea.com Stadium orange for the Swans’ Championship home match against Plymouth Argyle on the eve of the awareness day in February.
Maggie’s logos featured on the Swans jerseys, while the playing squad wore warm-up shirts bearing the names of people close to them who had been affected by cancer.
“World Cancer Day was brilliant,” continued Lucia.
“Every part of that day was lovely. The match was dedicated to Maggie’s and players had our logos on their shirts.
“A particularly important touch was that the guard of honour was made up of people who use the centre, and their children and grandchildren. I know our centre visitors were so proud to be involved in that and have the opportunity to hold the flag for Maggie’s.
“We also had bucket collections, and the awareness work in the club shop. It was just another really good example of everyone working together.”
While the ‘Tackling Cancer Together Campaign’ has come to an end, Lucia is keen to remind everyone that Maggie’s Swansea’s doors remain open, and that any members of the Jack Army, or the wider community who feel they need access to the services should seek them out.
There’s a cup of tea and a friendly face waiting. But, for anyone who would like to support Maggie’s further, there are still opportunities to get involved in their work.
“We want people to use our centre, we want people to come in anytime for free cancer support, benefits support, practical help and emotional support,” Lucia concluded.
“We just want people to know that they can come through the door.
“From a fundraising perspective, we’ve got activities coming up. We’ve got our Walk for Maggie’s, our ball at the Brangwyn Hall, the Christmas Extravaganza, and our Kitchen Table Day which anyone can get behind at any time of the year to suit them.
“There’s lots of things we’re rolling out until the end of the year if people want to get involved.”
To reach out for support from Maggie's Swansea, or to find out more about how to fundraise or help the charity, please email Maggies.Swansea@maggies.org.
Swansea City will confirm its 2024-25 official charity partner shortly.