Emilia Fox voices story of Hemel Hempstead mum living with cancer in new video for Macmillan

A series of short films featuring a cast of British actors have been released to urge the public to support Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning this Friday (September 25).

The emotive three-minute films show the actors bringing to life the real stories of Macmillan nurses and people with cancer, who also appear in the videos.

Emilia Fox tells the story of Emma Young, a single mother from Hemel Hempstead diagnosed with terminal breast and bone cancer in 2014.

Voicing Emma’s story, Emilia said: “Not only am I living with my cancer and the medicines I have to take to keep me alive, I’m also living with all the crap normal life throws at you.

“It was my Macmillan nurse who helped me navigate that, sorting my finances and accessing the payments I needed to help me.

"They have been amazing actually. You can feel very alone when you have cancer and it’s so important to have someone to support you, like the people I have met through Macmillan.”

Emma, who is mum to Daisy, 13, Gracie, 21, and son Louis, 16, said: "I have secondary breast cancer and it is incurable.

"At the moment it's stable and I have to have a check up every six months. I'm on medication that keeps the cancer at bay at the moment, I live in six month blocks.

"I live life to the full and then when the six month mark approaches and I have to go for the scan I slow down a bit, and then when the results come in and it's still at bay, I carry on with my life for the next six months. I'm a single mum so I just carry on with what I have to do.

"This year Macmillan have had to take a different approach to the annual coffee morning, the videos are really powerful, I watched mine and it gave me goosebumps.

"They are emotive and I think they are powerful because even though it's a celebrity telling the story, those stories are real.

"It's important to raise awareness of cancer and other illnesses that have kind of fallen behind recently, the pandemic has been heartbreaking for many people, but horrible diseases like cancer haven't gone away and it's important to raise awareness of that."

A video message from Macmillan patron, The Prince of Wales, launches the series. HRH The Prince of Wales, describes Macmillan’s ‘tireless’ work as a ‘lifeline’ to the millions of people with cancer in the UK, as he introduces the powerful videos featuring Sue Johnston, Himesh Patel, Emilia Fox, Cel Spellman and Nina Sosanya.

The films illustrate the impact of Macmillan’s vital work and why public donations, which provide 98 per cent of the charity’s income, are needed more than ever this Coffee Morning.

Right now, Macmillan faces losing a third of its fundraising income due to the coronavirus pandemic, and every penny raised by people getting involved will enable it to continue to provide the support that is so critical for so many people with cancer.

Emilia Fox said: “Macmillan support is often the lifeline that people who have been diagnosed with cancer depend upon.

"Having a cuppa in aid of Macmillan will help them cope with what could be an incredibly lonely experience and will continue to provide emotional, practical and physical support for people with cancer, now and in the future."

Macmillan’s Coffee Morning takes place officially on Friday, September 25, but people can get involved any time.

In response to the pandemic and latest ‘rule of six’ coronavirus guidance, the charity has adapted the event and people can now join in by: hosting a safe and socially distanced stall on their doorstep - adhering to coronavirus guidelines, organising a virtual get-together, taking on a fitness challenge or by donating and Raising a Mug for a selfie online.

In addition, the public can support by buying one of the limited-edition M&S products or having a personal coffee morning at an M&S café, where 5p donation from every hot coffee and slice of cake in September go towards Macmillan.

Claire Rowney, executive director of fundraising, marketing and communications at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “These short films are a powerful reminder of the lifeline Macmillan provides to people living with cancer every day - something that we simply won’t be able to do in the same way in the future, without the public’s generous donations.

“There have never been more ways to get involved in Coffee Morning.

"From hosting online with your work colleagues or setting up a safe stall on your doorstep, to taking on a fitness challenge or simply making a donation - every penny raised by Coffee Morning will play a vital role in enabling us to continue to provide this critical support to the people who need it most.”

For more information visit: coffee.macmillan.org.uk.