About the Irish Cancer Society
How we work
We are a community determined to help anyone affected by cancer in Ireland
We do this by following guidelines set up through our strategic plan, by partnering with organisations and bodies across Ireland and beyond, and by raising funds to support the work we do.
Our strategy
Our vision is that, by 2025, three out of every four cancer patients in Ireland will survive their diagnosis and, in future, no one in Ireland will die from the disease.
Together, we will save lives and significantly improve the lives of people affected by cancer in Ireland.
Our mission, vision, commitments and priorities are guided by our current strategic plan, published in 2020. Read more about our current strategy.
Working through partnerships
The Irish Cancer Society is a community of cancer patients, families, supporters, survivors, researchers and volunteers.
We strive for excellence in all we do. We are in constant contact with people affected by cancer, the medical community and the public. These connections help us to find out what people need and what works best for them. Our services and decisions are informed by best quality knowledge, data and expertise.
Through partnerships, we carry out activities guided by our strategic priorities. Our partners also help us to raise funds necessary to carry out our mission.
We have partners at all levels of Irish society, including communities, companies, Government, and other cancer organisations and health bodies, in Ireland and beyond.
Patient and public involvement
The Irish Cancer Society is dedicated to involving patients, families, survivors, supporters, and the public in research. Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in the research process makes sure that research is meaningful and benefits those affected by cancer.
We are working hard to make sure patients and the public are involved in our research processes. In 2020, as well as being reviewed by independent scientific experts, all research proposals submitted to the Society were reviewed by people affected by cancer. In this way, we ensure that the research we fund is relevant and important to patients.
Partnering with local communities
We work with communities across Ireland to raise awareness about cancer and provide free information, care and services for people affected by cancer.
We do this by focusing on hard-to-reach communities where cancer rates are highest, as well as by partnering with local community organisations, other health charities and bodies.
Fundraising in local communities
Without volunteers, the Society would not be able to support cancer patients and their families. Each year we need thousands of volunteers across Ireland to give us their time to make a difference to people with cancer.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic our loyal and committed fundraisers, who host activities and events each year in aid of the Irish Cancer Society, as well as supporting campaigns like Daffodil Day and Relay for Life, still showed up for our community.
Despite restrictions, these supporters continued to find vibrant, fun and impactful ways to raise vital funds and awareness in their communities. Beyond making our work possible, these events helped foster a sense of community spirit and raise cancer awareness, at a time when our cancer community needed it most
As an organisation we depend on the public’s generosity, with only 3% of our income typically coming from the State. The commitment and dedication of our fundraising volunteers makes everything we do possible.
Corporate partnerships
The Irish Cancer Society depends on the support of corporations and workplaces across the country to help fund our work. Our corporate partnership programme offers companies across Ireland a great way to get involved and share in our mission.
There are many ways companies support the work of the Society, including strategic partnerships, employee fundraising, cause-related marketing, sponsorship of campaigns, and payroll giving.
Learn more about the Society’s corporate partnership programme.
Working with Government
We work to influence policy, legislation and national budgets so that patients are at the heart of cancer services and cancer care. We push Government to take action to improve the quality of life for patients and to make decisions that will help to reduce the number of people getting cancer and improve survival rates.
We offer a trusted voice that responds to what patients need now and supports the development of better services for the future.
How the Irish Cancer Society is funded
The Irish Cancer Society typically receives only 3% funding from the State. This means that we must raise over €20 million each year to run the services and programmes providing free cancer information, care and support.
Phone calls from the Irish Cancer Society
As a registered charity under CHY5863, we take our obligation to ensure that all our supporters and their details are treated with respect and care at all times.
Where you as a supporter have provided your contact phone number, and given us permission to do so, we may contact you from time to time.
Read more about the types of information we do and do not request over the phone.
Read more
For more information
Phone
01 231 0500
