Macmillan Cancer Support Avis 

In my experience after having cancer firstly 10 years ago my first nurse was there at most meetings and appointments but rarely said anything ,on the cancer returning now i can honestly say its been a totally pointless waste of time having one , ivv found that whenever i have asked a question ive been told to refer to my palative team for answers , the only time she actually did anything for me was a prescription for laxatives (suppository) which was the wrong dose ,ive never once got through to her on phone ,and only get a call back ater several attempts to ask advice which in most cases with the answer ive given above

I'm often invited to mcmillan coffee mornings and fundraising efforts. I always reply with a polite refusal, saying that I will never give a penny to this "charity". I prefer to give to charities that donate every penny given to the people in need of it. My awful experience with a macmilan nurse was in 2013 and I see from that recent reviews that nothing has improved. I direct people to this page and they are surprised to hear about such a large percentage of poor reviews. You raise enough money so why have your services not improved in the last 11 years.

My mam has just passed a week ago. And not once have we been supported by McMillan my mam struggled with her mental health after being diagnosed in March 2024. When she lay on end of life care in hospital no one came up to see us, we asked for the momentos you let the dying hold in there hands before the pass yhe hospital said they wouldn’t have any until Monday morning! There is no signs in hospital directing you to McMillan nurses! We were struggling with our mental health too and no one was there.

Macmillan left my mother to cope on her own during the last few years of her life. They repeatedly missed appointments and offered nothing but excuses. It was a deeply frustrating experience, and I cannot recommend their services. The government should reconsider funding this organization, as they clearly fail to deliver the support they promise. Don't just take my word for it – many others have shared similar experiences in their reviews.

My experience with Macmillan is very good from the privileged position of being in London and living very near their superb premises. They did allocate a nurse that I never saw again and gave me a card with emergency numbers and as many have mentioned it’s not a reliable service, sometimes they don’t answer or the nurse on duty is also on duty at UCH providing services to patients. Once I called in agony and she said she would call me back but never did and after hours waiting and calling 999 an ambulance came and to my surprise the nurse on the phone was doing the two jobs. She was truly too busy. However, I spent 5 weeks in hospital and received daily visits from different Macmillan’s professionals; physiotherapist, dieticians and other therapists. During recovery at home I received frequent calls from therapist who assessed my symptoms and helped with mobility etc. I was a bit down and they offered a psychologist to support the family but we never heard back. I received all my chemotherapy in their excellent premises, I still go there for my medicine and oncology appointments, I can even walk in to get my bloods done there. I feel at home there, I feel they know me. It gives me comfort and confidence dealing with Macmillan’s professionals. I’m sorry to see so many bad experiences because I’m sure is location, location.

The charity is a complete money making con. I was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and my hospital asked me to contact McMillan for help with filling in some forms for benefits whilst off work after lobectomy and going through my treatment. I called McMillan and they said they where to busy to help. If they are not there to support cancer patients what are they there for. I think the answer is coffee mornings and making money

I'd like to know what the point is in having a McMillan nurse?? My mum was appointed a McMillan nurse, whom told us I am here for your mum & the family, to support you all & any questions you have. If mum is ever in hospital I will visit her, coordinate for her within the hospital. Well non of that happened. She also ignored our telephone calls & did not return them. There was no support or help or anything. Appalling. She last told me mum, it's nothing to do with your cancer, I'll see you in 8 weeks. Well that's too late, she's gone.. too too late. Disgusting!!

The first contact via webchat to this organisation was OK, quite helpful but the second was dire. The operator at the other end of the webchat had clearly read all the notes and didn't want to revisit the issue again, so just kept saying: 'go to see your GP...' and the like.
No interest whatsoever, so I won't be bothering them again. Also, their website for the so-called 'community' is like a minefield. They moderate you for even discussing medical matters in a high-handed way and pull comments all the time, taking the high ground on all medical issues. Tell me how people are supposed to discuss their cancer with others WITHOUT talking about medical matters??
Mc Millan doesn't seem to serve any real purpose at all, apart from being a self-supportive organisation staffed by people who just want to cover their backs.

My wonderful Mum was diagnosed with cancer in May of 2024, she passed away at the start of July 2024. Mums cancer journey was fast paced and terrifying, as her carer I was with her near daily and with her as she passed. The week before Mum passed away she was due to transfer to a Macmillan Hospice but unfortunately they didn't admit over the weekend, and there was no space (completely understandable). Mum passed away in hospital a few days later whilst waiting on her hospice bed.

Fast forward 7 weeks and I'm struggling with my grief, as an only child and Mum being my lone parent, I'm just not coping.

I reached out to our local Macmillan cancer support who told me that as Mum was never admitted to the hospice (regardless of being on the waiting list), they couldn't help me. They also couldn't help me because the Macmillan Nurses weren't aware of Mum. They were (Mum spoke with them twice), but as the cancer took hold of Mum so fast, she didn't have the time in her last few weeks to reach out for support. Her focus was on sorting her affairs, spending time with family and attending her appointments.

Being turned away from support by Macmillan broke me today. I can't help that Mum's cancer was aggressive and that she didn't survive long enough to get her bed at the hospice. I can't help that Mum didn't get the time to fully utilise Macmillan nurses. But my Mum still died from cancer, I am still bereaved. Yet I'm not eligible for support. Poor show Macmillan. As someone who has donated to your charity for years, I'll now be directing my money to Maggie's.

Appalled by this charity and will never donate to them again. My father got a terrible diagnosis out of the blue & we were told late on a Friday that it would be a matter of days, not months left. We contacted McMillan that day, around 4pm on a Friday about what we should do & how we could get him home and the woman on the phone pretty much told us she had no interest in helping - it was 4pm on a Friday and she was going home in an hour and helping us was the last thing she fancied doing. I was told to ring back on Monday, he was dead by then. Thanks.

False promises
I wish I’d read Trustpilot reviews before I put my faith in McMillan. My mum was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in 2019. In 2020 we had a visit from a McMillan nurse who promised that mum would receive support from the service so that she could die at home. In 2022, having outlived her initial prognosis I had to rerefer to access any further advice and then this year when she deteriorated, they completely washed their hands of her. I phoned them in March and was told to go to the GP and then shortly before she died last month, I was told that the GP would need to make yet another referral. This was done and McMillan simply passed it over to Community Nursing. I totally agree with other reviewers who said they deserve zero stars. They gave us false hope about the kind of death at home that mum could expect and made a difficult situation far more fraught than it should have been. The Community Nurses did their best but they were short staffed so there were often lengthy waits between their visits to administer emergency medicine. Mum spent too many of her final hours feeling sick and in pain because the McMillan cancer specialists could not be bothered. I will never donate to this charity again.

I have thought of this often since my husband died - My husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer and his condition had deteriorated. They had visited him previously and offered him to go to a hospice but he did not want that. Our GP came on the Friday before he passed and told us that he only had days left and if we needed help should ring MacMillan as they had 24hr assistance - the surgery would be closed over the weekend. On the Sunday at 7pm I realised that the end was close and although I did not want to ring for help I decided to call - they took his name acknowledged that he was on their books and told me to ring for an ambulance as they had no night team on call and were unable to assist my husband passed at 12.45am we had been given end of life injectable drugs so my husband might pass peacefully - the hospital and our GP were both under the impression that MacMillan Cancer support would administer this for my husband at his greatest time of need - they were not there for him and I have informed my GP that they really are not there for end of life support if you are at home. My husband was a long term contributor to MacMillan - no more I cancelled his subscription immediately I have told all my friends exactly how I feel about much support this 'charity' actually provides aside from financial advice
and medical advice which for us was nothing. Very surprised MacMillan reply to these reviews - they rang me up 2 weeks after my husband had passed away to tell me that they were going to visit but saw he had died. They then said that they saw that I had rung on the 28th and did I ring an ambulance? My name is on here and the date of my experience - they said they would report the support of lack of it to a manager I have never heard a word from them - suggest they advise people honestly that there is no nursing support and their support is advice only unless you might find yourself in a hospice their money spinning coffee mornings continue however without the support and contributions of the many that have found their 'support' greatly
lacking - Make it clear on your tv adverts that the 'whatever it takes does not extend to any 'nursing' care outside of hospitals but will extend to financial care you can claim and medication - whatever it takes certainly does not 'fit' what is offered to most of these reviewers here or my husband

If I could give a 0 rating I would. My mum was diagnosed with terminal Lung cancer which has spread in May, as the appointment with the consultant the Macmillan Nurse was present and spoke to me and my sister and mum and explained that they are here to support us all and should we have concerns about my mum or if she needs changes in medications for pain they can help. All lovely in front of the Dr, but when we have tried to call her, she has never called us back. We have spoken to the Coordinator who's response has been she just needs to contact her GP. Even when she was taken to hospital with abdominal problems possibly linked to her cancer and struggling to take medication because she falls asleep and forgets we asked if they could visit her and see if there were alternatives, which as someone who has worked in the NHS knows there are.

We ere told they don't really visit because it is not cancer related and that they would review her medication at a later date. Eventually after having to push, the nurse visited her in hospital and told my mum she would visit her in 8wks time, but no appointment organised as yet? To be honest I would be surprised if my mum lasts that long as she is in pain, has mouth sores so is struggling to eat and is now 28kg. I have no idea what their job role actually is? You see these adverts saying "we are there for you" "we can make life easier" Well judging by the amount of reviews here the whole system needs an overhaul, because the only people benefitting are the executives at the top earning between 78k to over 100k. So that is where all the money goes that people raise, not to help the sick and vulnerable people that it is supposed to be going to. I will never donate again and my family have said we will make sure everyone know the lack of care she receives.

I am guessing I will also get the standard reply of please email us to discuss further, to then be fobbed off with we will look into it for you. There should be an independent investigation into this charity.

No help for the working poor who have just been diagnosed with cancer and had thier income significantly reduced , in some cases to zero x it’s all about means tested benefit . Do they not realise that when cancer strikes, unfortunate people on benefit will not get their income reduce it will stay the same and there is extra support , a working person with partner working are expected to sort themselves out and budget from day one , this is not possible with all the appointments etc and have to go into debt from day one x not fair , their service is poor and I’m annoyed that they publish their support on bill board , this review is from a couple who are stugging , thank god we don’t have children to consider .

After a terminal diagnosis the Support Service contact you to ask if you need help and when you explain what you want help with they just ignore you. It's time the Macmillan monopoly is ended as much better cancer charities out there. You don't believe the one star reviews until you experience it yourself. Heartless. Their time will come soon enough.

They have caused my wife great distress over their handling of my wife,s needs through the local authority scheme that macmillan runs. It is only interested in making money and not the needs of people who are at their lowest point .They should hang their heads in shame and they even make it impossible to complain

unfortunately our family didn't have the best experience with this wealthy charitable organisation. They give advice nothing else. If you want to donate money give to Marie Curie they at least can sit overnight to give family a break. Macmillian do nothing but tell you they've to wait in q for the doctor like everyone else, which I phoned the receptionist at doctors myself and found them more helpful when I explained situation

If I could 0 stars I would cause when I was diagnosed in 2017 I was told by the McMillan nurse she would ring me Friday, never heard from her again what bad serivce they give people who been diagnose with cancer the most scary disease you never want to hear, lucky I’m hear today if it was t for the doctors and staff of the hospital I was attending but McMillan didn’t even want to help, when I called them it just seem they are getting money for no surport

Having read the reviews I have decided to post on here . My daughter is 34 and diagnosed with stage 4 secondary liver cancer. I am appalled with the McMillan nurse she has been assigned to..she is rude .. unsympathetic..never returns her calls or emails ..has made several mistakes with regards to her blood tests ...the list goes on . My daughter is feeling very sick with the chemo and we have no where to turn ...I'm very disappointed and clearly the reviews on here are not changing anything ..why does McMillan employ people that are clearly not suitable for such a sensitive role.

Appalling. I find the TV adverts nauseating, misleading, and manipulative, (and show unprofessional practice). I am a former NHS Terminal Care Nurse and have had experience of working with Macmillan 'Nurses'. My understanding is they do no hands on care- unlike like one would expect from a Nurse. For someone in the community with Cancer, District Nurses are the ones who will give the required all round professional care. I recently was diagnosed with Ca Oesophagus and was assigned a macmillan nurse. I called her once to check the dates of my chemo sessions and was given all the wrong dates! I turned up for a chemo session and was told the macmillan nurse had not got the dates from the NHS Nurses doing the chemo! I had 8 weeks of chemo, then a big operation at The Royal Marsden. At no time during the last 6 months was I contacted by my macmillan 'nurse'. I recently had a meeting with a Consultant about my next and final lot of chemo, and the macmillan nurse was in the meeting. I didn't recognise her. Had I done so I would have asked her to leave. I feel Macmillan massively misrepresent their function in their advertising and fund raising, which, considering the fear and suffering those with cancer and their families endure, is disgraceful.