Leading UK charity Breast Cancer Care has received £655k of National Lottery funding to further develop its unique end-of-treatment support app and meet the needs of 36,000 users by 2020.
The Breast Cancer Care App (BECCA), launched in May 2017, is the first of its kind to help women move forward after hospital treatment ends. This new grant will allow the charity to transform the app from a bitesize tips resource into a tool which learns from its users’ interactions and will offer trustworthy information tailored to their needs.
The grant will also fund expansion of the app’s content, allowing it to pool diverse, fresh and current information on breast cancer, including on well-being, diet and managing side effects of treatment, all in one place. Its smart technology will do all the work of searching the internet for women trying to adapt to life after breast cancer and provide them with articles on anything from exercise and diet to mindfulness and well-being.
BECCA currently has over 7,500 users and faces growing demand.
David Crosby, Director of Services and Engagement at Breast Cancer Care, says: “We are incredibly grateful to have received this grant as it will allow us to continue revolutionising the way Breast Cancer Care supports people at the end of treatment, which we know is often the hardest part.1 Debilitating long term side effects, anxieties about the cancer returning and damaged body confidence are just some of the issues people are left with as they walk out of the hospital doors.
“We’re delighted the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the important role digital technology can play in offering vital support efficiently and effectively. Around 691,000 people are alive in the UK after a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the numbers are only set to rise. So it’s crucial we do more to reach as many of those who need support as possible, and make sure they know they’re not alone.”
The BECCA app can be downloaded from the App Store and on Google Play.
