FabSwingers.com forum: Macmillan....possibly contentious

By *ittle_brat_evie!! OP Woman
over a year ago

evesham

OK. You might need to bare with me on this one as I know it's a very emotive subject.

I've just seen an ad on Facebook by macmillan asking people to donate £3 by text if you love your dad.

I get that they do a great job and that they need funding for that job but for me this overstep a mark I think (or maybe I'm thinking too much, I dint know).

I get that fund raising has to pull on heart strings to done extent but I feel a bit uneasy with them so blatantly using a national day such as fathers day to do so. I'm not sure if they do similar on mothers day or grandparents day etc.

The shine wore off of macmillan for me following the ice bucket challenge so maybe that's my issue with it.

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By *eerobCouple
over a year ago

solihull

It doesnt offend us in the slightest. What was the issue with the ice bucket challenge?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The Macmillan Nurse told me my father was dying of lung cancer when she should have kept her mouth shut and let the specialist do it.

Also when we needed help with other stuff all we heard was we don't deal with it.

The shine wore off very quickly.

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By *ire_bladeMan
over a year ago

Manchester

To close maybe xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I've always been weary of bigger charities.

I like to know where my money is being used to help people rather than seeing it go to a generic brand

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The Macmillan nurses were great when my ex's mum was dying of cancer.

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By *ittle_brat_evie!! OP Woman
over a year ago

evesham

"It doesnt offend us in the slightest. What was the issue with the ice bucket challenge? "

It wasn't their challenge, they stole it. It was originally for ASL or motor neurone disease but because they have a larger, More powerful marketing team behind them they took it over and the original charities weren't able to compete.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When the mac nurses came to see my dying mother they asked us to leave the room. For two hours they tried to get her to change her will to leave them all her money. The only help they gave was to offer her a spot in a support group making an appointment for her a month after she was due to die.

No we don't give money to macmillan any more.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I think it's difficult to be objective - I will say the Macmillan nurse who was assigned to my Mum- helped me a lot, in terms of talking through how I felt. She was also the one who told me honestly how long she thought Mum had left and to whom Mum could share her fears. She didn't want to leave us.

However, I do get where you are coming from. Having lost my Dad to the same disease - it's marketing designed to pull on heart strings near Fathers Day. I guess charities have to stand out nowadays and use all the means they can. And it's still personal choice who you donate to, if any, charity wise.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Wouldn't give a penny to Macmillan. Been a disgrace to helping my Dad and my family deal with his cancer no help whatever. I know some people might have good things to say about them but on my part for the last few years they have done nothing waste of space. I'd much rather see money go to the hospital itself where the money is needed

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By *rsIdiotWoman
over a year ago

Bedworth

I stopped supporting macmillan when I worked at the venue for their twice yearly conferences.

A four day event with full board and accommodation, free alcohol, nightly entertainment etc. All costing around half a million a time to put on with the delegates paying nothing to attend.

Who pays for it? The people who have donated money to their good cause!

I later went on to work for a company who have a fundraising partnership with macmillan and had to explain to my boss why I would not get involved with any of the fundraising activities, that was an interesting meeting

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

That appeal could have been phrased better.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I agree that they need to keep the awareness out there like all charities do & by campaigning around certain dates will help.

I don't agree with them using the phrase 'if you love your Dad'......

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By *hole Lotta RosieWoman
over a year ago

Deviant City

I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

The rapidly increasing competitive trend amongst charities to ruthlessly hound people in the street and via other methods needs regulating.

Will give to charity when I want and how much I want. Giving any charity your contact details is a bad idea these days.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Very rarely give to charities in supermarkets etc, don't like contributing to some charity boss having another five holidays this year on the back of good people stood all day in a supermarket.

Some charities we know and do give money.

What we both do is actively volunteer for charities we support, not just fundraising but actually doing things that improve the lives of those people within the scope of the charities we support. If you don't volunteer you should try it, it's very rewarding.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

My experience of McMillan is positive and good.

I think we have an expectation that charity will always be a kind, genteel thing not to be involved with the harder more cynical side of life such as big business and to an extent the charities try to continue that idea. The reality is that they are all competing for donations and employ marketing strategies in the same way that all big businesses do, charity is no longer mainly about a kind person putting a tenner in a collecting tin.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

Or to qualify that, the charitable actions we're discussing here

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

[Removed by poster at 20/06/15 10:34:18]

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

report on 5live recently that there are in excess of 160,000 charities with a turnover of either £ 46 or £64 billion pa..

how many could combine who are raising for the same end..?

granted most are nowhere near the size of macmillan..

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By *oe bloggs69Man
over a year ago

fife

"It doesnt offend us in the slightest. What was the issue with the ice bucket challenge? "
was a blatent waste of water!

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By *oe bloggs69Man
over a year ago

fife

I only give to 2 charities now..autism n facial/cranial surgery

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By *L RogueMan
over a year ago

London

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I don't give to cancer research charities. As one of the nation's biggest killers, there's a lot of support to them. I like Macmillan and the work they do as they help people. It's interesting how divided opinions are about their work. I guess there are good and bad nurses everywhere.

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By *abioMan
over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

to give the other side of macmillan, have to say they were absolutely fantastic with my mum and our family in the last year of her life..... i couldn't of asked for anything else.....

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Im highly suspicious of big brand charitys.And when I start looking into them as organisations then that suspicion usually grows. Every where i look these days there is usually some big brand cancer charity wanting money and using highly manipulative emotive tactics to get it. Cancer is a billion dollar industry for drug companys and those making equipment to combat the illness.

I cant help wonder what the outcome would be if the profit was taken out of it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The Macmillan nurses were great when my ex's mum was dying of cancer.

They were fantastic when my ex hubby was dying too and such a comfort and support to my daughter and his new wife. I think that any charity will use what it can..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 20/06/15 15:07:34]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My experience of Macmillan isn't good. They completed disregarded our wishes when we were caring for my Mother and I wouldn't let them near any of my loved ones ever again.

I no longer donate to the "corporate" charities. I have heard (first hand) too many tales of p

igate spending at all levels. I support a couple of small charities but mostly prefer to donate my local food bank. I know that every penny is being used as I intended instead of funding prime location retail units and costly advertising campaigns.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I spent a good ten years volunteering with the British red cross and as a youngster volunteering with a local Christian coffee and bookshop now I have a family of my own what money i have goes to bringing up my children xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have no experience of Macmillan. However I once had a doorstep charity collector (I believe it was Red Cross) say that she was sure I wasn't "an evil person" and would therefore want to support whatever appeal they had running. I wasn't a polite person after I heard that.

It's a cutthroat world in terms of trying to get charity donations at the moment and there are some dubious tactics going on (IMO). I disagreed with the hijacking of the ALS challenge by Macmillan last year but I've disagreed with approaches taken by various charities large and small.

I choose the charities and causes I want to support and go with those, regardless of advertising. If someone is doing a sponsored event then I'll support them with what they've chosen.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"OK. You might need to bare with me on this one as I know it's a very emotive subject.

I've just seen an ad on Facebook by macmillan asking people to donate £3 by text if you love your dad.

I get that they do a great job and that they need funding for that job but for me this overstep a mark I think (or maybe I'm thinking too much, I dint know).

The shine wore off of macmillan for me following the ice bucket challenge so maybe that's my issue with it. "

Implying that you don't love your dad if you don't donate I suppose.

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By *ngel n tedCouple
over a year ago

maidstone

Big business, charity now, long gone are the days of dropping a few coins in a ship or dogs head outside a shop, it's all about marketing. Do well, climb the ladder, get your own office, i can always tell the type, they'll be the only ones walking around the town at midnite on a week nite in a suit, after they've finished work 3 hours previous and had 3 hours of back slapping and congratulato's

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Unfortunately have to agree with the MacMillan criticism, very poor experience with them when Mum was ill, so much so that my Dad banned them from coming near again.......in total contrast to the Marie Curie people who were absolutely brilliant, always support the daffodil campaign which unfortunately seems to get overshadowed by Red Nose Day.........

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Macmillan were absolutely incredible when my dad died of brain cancer. During and after - and now 2 years on are still in touch and supportive to my family. They supported my mother through the darkest time of her life and for that I'll be forever grateful - emotive advertising or not, (it definitely got to me when I saw it) I'll be donating.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"OK. You might need to bare with me on this one as I know it's a very emotive subject.

I've just seen an ad on Facebook by macmillan asking people to donate £3 by text if you love your dad.

I get that they do a great job and that they need funding for that job but for me this overstep a mark I think (or maybe I'm thinking too much, I dint know).

The shine wore off of macmillan for me following the ice bucket challenge so maybe that's my issue with it. "

I've personally nothing good to say about them after they abandoned/ ignored/ refused to help my father-in-law when he had terminal brain cancer and no support for his wife and birth are/were in their late '70s

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

With the services charities need to provide what with the big society and all

they simply cant operate on the jumble sale in the church hall basis. To bring the money in they need to be commercially minded.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

When my father-in-law was assigned Macmillan nurses they were next to useless and eventually he told them to stop coming and leave him alone.

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By *ickawitchCouple
over a year ago

Away with the fairies (Liverpool to you)

My mum has terminal ovarian cancer and we have seen her Macmillan nurse once.......ever.....the day they told us that my mum was terminal - the oncologist was explaining the spread of the disease and the Macmillan nurse talking over him to say 'it's not set in stone though and if you are positive you can change the outcome'

Eventually the oncologist had to ask her to leave and that was that.

We give to cancer charities still and my OH is doing Tough Mudder and getting sponsored for help for heroes and target ovarian cancer - we will not be doing it for Macmillan. When we did the ice bucket challenge we did MND any target ovarian cancer

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Someone with a collection bucket once accosted me in London and asked "do you like nature?" to which I answered "no I can't stand the thing" lol The look of shock on their face. Just for the record... of course I love nature... I just hate dumb questions intended to get you to get your wallet out

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By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago

Shrewsbury

After spending most of the day fundraising for Guide dogs and having personal experience of having cancer and my mum passing recently from lung cancer it is a hard one to call , however people will only give monies to charities if they want to.

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By *iss_Samantha_LovecockTV/TS
over a year ago

bmth /poole sometimes blandford

when i was diagnosed with prostrate cancer they gave me a few 100 pounds to have a lil holiday ..so i think their pretty good generaly

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By *umpkinMan
over a year ago

near the sounds of the wimborne quarter jack!

"Someone with a collection bucket once accosted me in London and asked "do you like nature?" to which I answered "no I can't stand the thing" lol The look of shock on their face. Just for the record... of course I love nature... I just hate dumb questions intended to get you to get your wallet out

Not connected with the thread directly but closely connected to this post. A school mate`s brother was fixing his motorbike in the driveway when Jehova`s Witnesses called. After waffling on they asked him "Have you found Jesus?" His dryly delivered reply was "I didn`t know he was lost!"

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"when i was diagnosed with prostrate cancer they gave me a few 100 pounds to have a lil holiday ..so i think their pretty good generaly "

I know of a case where McMillan installed central heating for a family where the father was terminally ill with cancer. As with most things there will be good and bad.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

I was very heavily pregnant when I answered the for to Jehovah's witnesses who asked me "do you know how life started?" I just looked at my stomach and said "yes"......end of conversation.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 20/06/15 22:05:45]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I thought the prevailing diagnosis for ME was psychosomatic?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

in my work i meet a lot of both macmillan and marie curie nurses, and i have never found them anything but helpful,kind and hardworking..im sorry to hear others have had different experiences...but as someone said earlier, i guess theres good and bad in every profession..but im aware charity is a huge huge business now..and as a result we all can only do what we personally feel is right..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I thought the prevailing diagnosis for ME was psychosomatic? "

no...that idea is quite outdated...it usually seems to appear after an illness like a bad flu, bad cold even...something that knocks the immune system....lots of research going on, but no, its not in any way psychosomatic, not the 'yuppie flu' it was once considered.

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By *lligator3Man
over a year ago

Dundee

"OK. You might need to bare with me on this one as I know it's a very emotive subject.

I've just seen an ad on Facebook by macmillan asking people to donate £3 by text if you love your dad.

I get that they do a great job and that they need funding for that job but for me this overstep a mark I think (or maybe I'm thinking too much, I dint know).

The shine wore off of macmillan for me following the ice bucket challenge so maybe that's my issue with it. "

Can see where your coming from but pulling o strings is what brings in the money...save a dog, a kid in Africa etc.

If I helps raise more money it's worth it I think...if anything serious God forbid ever happened in future you wouldn't care about some nonsense tone of an appeal I think x

Happy swinging

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By *mmabluTV/TS
over a year ago

upton wirral

They are wonderfull and do a lot of good work,but they do pressure for donations.I used to give but got sick of the pressure so now give to other cancer charities.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I thought the prevailing diagnosis for ME was psychosomatic?

Never heard of one research outcome being able to find anything physical though. Even tenuous links to what cam eve of because immune response remains normal last time I checked (my ex used to have it)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

they do some vital work for charity but I think the FB and campaign I'd a nut tenuous if it's not linked to a wider campaign that promotes their work.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'm sure they have been useful and a help with other people, but my experience of Macmillan when we lost my dad, was that he was just a number, there really wasn't any support given beyond the bare minimum. So for me I would rather donate to cancer research than to a charity that as far as I could tell doesn't do as good a job as the district nurses

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

Good on ya! I agree that more funding / research needed. I have a close family member with ME & it's a very misunderstood illness.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I thought the prevailing diagnosis for ME was psychosomatic?

your right, they still havent found out exactly what causes it, but it seems to appear after a viral infection, even sometimes mild ones..and thankfully now most doctors no longer write it off as all in the mind..though as far as getting sickness benefit, its really hard as if you have no diagnosis, you cant get the relevant help...one of my mates had it for 4 years, he's a great big old hulk of a fellow,a pub landlord..and was terrified for months,though he had cancer..gradually got over it..seems to be the current thinking that the younger you are, the quicker you can recover...which would seem logical to me that the younger you are, the better your immune system is..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I don't agree with the advertising on Father's day.

I no longer donate to cancer charities, they get loads of donations and advertise a lot.

My main charity is the ME Association. Something very close to my heart and seriously lacking funding for research. I want a cure too.

I thought the prevailing diagnosis for ME was psychosomatic?

*thought

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By *ugby 123Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

O o O oo

So does that mean you don't love your dad if you don't donate? Bad marketing for me and something that I wouldn't donate to for that reason.

Having had family with some experience with the Macmillan organisation...I didn't rate them anyway.

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By *icecouple561Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

East Sussex

"So does that mean you don't love your dad if you don't donate? Bad marketing for me and something that I wouldn't donate to for that reason.

Yes that would stop me donating too....don't tell me that my love for my father is measurable in money.

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