Dimbleby Cancer Care (formerly the Richard Dimbleby Cancer Fund)

The charity was set up as a memorial to Richard Dimbleby, the broadcasting pioneer, following his death from cancer in 1965 at the age of 52.

The focus of the charity is addressing the psychological and social impact on patients and their families which a cancer diagnosis inevitably brings, and offering supportive care throughout the journey through treatment to recovery, or to the end of life. The charity does this in two ways.

For many years Dimbleby Cancer Care has provided funding for the Cancer Information and Support Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London. These drop-in centres offer information about cancer; psychological support and counselling; complementary therapies; benefit and financial advice; and support groups which focus on specific cancers.

The Dimbleby Cancer Care Research Fund makes available funding for research into the support needs of people with cancer, and those of their families and carers – for example, how can carers be of more help to patients undergoing chemotherapy? How can older care givers be helped to cope better? How helpful are telephone help-lines? Only around 5% of all cancer research funding in the UK is directed to such issues.

The Research Fund has provided funds for dozens of national care research projects and is now one of the UK’s major funders of this type of research.

Dimbleby Cancer Care is eager to expand its work, but is entirely dependent on legacies and donations. Please remember us in your will or, if you can, make a donation now.