The brief was to provide a united voice for cancer charities in England; to give visibility to cancer issues and to ensure prioritisation remains high. In addition, Edelman Public Affairs were asked to support the strategic objectives of a coalition of five pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, GSK, Roche and sanofi-aventis).
The Cancer Campaigning Group (CCG) - a coalition of 35 national cancer charities – was established by Edelman in 2002. The imperative behind the CCG is to allow cancer charities to combine their resources, influence and expertise in lobbying Government on cancer policy. Edelman provided the secretariat and communications strategic counsel for the group. We facilitated workshops, devised activity plans, drafted and designed the Group’s ‘Calls For Action’, and organised major parliamentary and political receptions and seminars.
The group led a ‘Green Paper’ consultation in August 2006, including the publication of a consultation paper, gathering feedback from over 50 stakeholder groups and individuals, including patients, clinicians, industry and political opinion formers. The CCG consultation project calling for a second cancer plan was welcomed by the National Cancer Director Professor Mike Richards, at his November 2006 announcement to develop a 'Cancer Reform Strategy', in which process the CCG has been a key partner. CCG was strengthened through implementation of governance procedures, and membership built up to 35 national cancer charities.