A pioneering support programme which supports those living with cancer has been shortlisted for a hat-trick of national awards.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) has worked to make care better for patients who have been given a diagnosis through its Living With Cancer programme.
This programme is now in the running for Fuchs Cancer Nursing Award category at the 2026 Nursing Times Awards.
It has also been shortlisted for the Partnership Working and From Insight to Impact awards in Picker Experience Network Awards 2026, known as PENNA.
Led by the Living with Cancer Personalised Care Team, the programme is a nurse-led project that was developed with help from Macmillan Cancer Support.
At the centre of the programme is the approach of “Nothing About Us Without Us”. This makes sure patients and carers are equal in helping shape services.
People with lived experience have worked alongside healthcare professionals to work together to come up with solutions, develop resources and influence how cancer services are designed and delivered.
The programme has also focused on tackling health inequalities. This includes improving access to support for people affected by deprivation, cultural barriers and other factors that can impact cancer care and experiences.
By working directly with diverse communities and listening to those with their own experience, the team has helped create services which are more accessible, relevant and responsive to each person’s needs.
The initiative is also helping to change how cancer care is understood. This is particularly for people living with treatable but not curable cancer, offering them earlier support, improved communication and more coordinated, compassionate care.
As part of its work, the group has made a short film to help explain how the project has helped them as they continue to live with cancer and offer advice to others. You can watch the film here: Treatable But Not Curable Cancer
Caroline Tweedie is the Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse for the Trust and is part of its Living with Cancer Personalised Care Team.
She said: “To find out that we had been shortlisted for a Nursing Times Award was fantastic, but to then learn that our work had also been recognised by the Picker Experience Network Awards was equally rewarding.
“As the only awards programme dedicated to recognising excellence in patient experience across health and social care, being acknowledged alongside other outstanding projects is a real honour.
“The recognition reflects the hard work, innovation and commitment of the entire team, and reinforced the positive impact of our work on patients, families and staff.
“At the heart of this programme is the principle of ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’.
“By working together, people with lived experience have helped shape our services. They have helped influence decisions and drive improvements in cancer care that really mean something to them and their families and friends.
“This work is especially important for those who might find it difficult to get support. By listening to those who have first-hand experience, we make it better for others in the future.”
The Nursing Times Awards celebrate innovation, excellence and best practice across the nursing profession. They recognise individuals and teams who are making a significant difference to patient care across the UK.
The award the STSFT team is shortlisted for is named in tribute to Ingrid Fuchs, who died in 2022. She was a clinical nurse specialist who had written about her own cancer journey for Nursing Times.
By sharing her experiences, she hoped to offer an insight into her care for other nurses.
The winner of the award and 23 other titles will be announced at a ceremony held in London in October.
The titles awarded by PENNA recognise the approaches that works best in health and social care. They celebrate the difference made to patients, carers, families and staff.
The winners will be announced at an event at the University of Birmingham, which will also be held in October.
STSFT has a Cancer Information Hub on its website, offering people access to advice and support. It can be found here: Cancer Information Hub
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