Marie Curie launches new website
Press release published
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Marie Curie Cancer Care has launched a new website aimed at providing The new website, www.mariecurie.org.uk, brings together information for patients, carers and families, previously only available offline and brand new content specifically made for the website. This includes new film guides for carers to help them with the practicalities of looking after someone who is terminally ill, such as how to move a person in bed and how to help them stand. The website also features a fresh new design, simplified navigation and improved usability. A new online shop enables customers to find, view and purchase products more easily and donating online is now a cleaner and easier process for supporters. Supporters are also able to learn where their money goes in a brand new section of the website titled ‘Where your money goes’. Victoria Ludlow, Head of Digital Development at Marie Curie Cancer Care, said: “The new website enables us to take forward our online presence. There has been a complete overhaul of content, and we have made it much easier for patients and carers to access the support and information they need, when they need it. Equally crucial was the need for a website that could act as an effective income generator and we hope our new website achieves this.” The previous website generated over £3 million last year and the charity is aiming to significantly increase this. New fundraising and events sections present a strong selection of fundraising events, ideas and volunteering opportunities, alongside reminding supporters why the charity needs their support. The launch of the new website is part of an ongoing series of releases which will continue to improve the website and the charity’s digital presence. Future plans include encouraging more support through social media to improve how the charity engages with people online. The development of the website was underpinned by surveys, interviews and focus groups with patients, carers, supporters and potential supporters to find out what they needed from the charity online. The charity also consulted with key stakeholders across the organisation to ensure the website met the charity’s business needs. -ENDS- |
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Notes to editor
Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the UK’s largest charities. Employing more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, it expects to provide care to around 29,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its hospices this year and is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
Funding
Around 70 per cent of the charity’s income comes from the generous support of thousands of individuals, membership organisations and businesses, with the balance of our funds coming from the NHS.
Marie Curie Nurses
The charity is best known for its network of Marie Curie Nurses working in the community to provide end-of-life care, totally free for patients in their own homes.
Research
The charity has two centres for palliative care research, The Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at University College London and The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute in Liverpool.
It also funds seven fundamental scientific research groups which investigate the causes and treatments of cancer. This research was previously carried out at the Marie Curie Research Institute in Oxted, Surrey. The programmes are now located in universities around the country, and will receive funding from the charity until 2012.
Supporting the choice to die at home
Research shows around 65 per cent of people would like to die at home if they had a terminal illness, with a sizeable minority opting for hospice care. However, more than 50 per cent of cancer deaths still occur in hospital, the place people say they would least like to be. Since 2004 Marie Curie Cancer Care has been campaigning for more patients to be able to make the choice to be cared for and die at home.
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