Celebrating 40 Years with Fiona Wade
The absolute highlight of our year was celebrating four decades of the OPA. We were delighted to have our Patron, Fiona Wade, join us for our anniversary event. This took place at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel, Birmingham where it all began, which truly made the occasion special. It was a wonderful opportunity to look back on 40 years of providing a vital voice for patients and families. Since 1985, our mission to raise awareness and support those affected by oesophageal and gastric cancers has remained unchanged.
From Crisis to a New Digital Home
While we celebrated our history, 2025 also brought a moment of extreme stress. We were notified on a Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM that our previous website company had gone into liquidation. However, we turned that challenge into a new beginning. We have been rebuilding our website from scratch, and we want to extend a massive thank you to our amazing website and IT teams for their incredible support throughout 2025. Their dedication ensured we stayed connected to you during a very difficult transition.
Our 2025 Awareness Campaigns
Despite the technical hurdles, our advocacy remained at the forefront. This year, we successfully delivered three major campaigns:
- February: Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month.
- November: Acid Reflux Awareness & Gastric (Stomach) Cancer Awareness.
Our Commitment: Free Resources for All
This year has been exceptionally busy and successful for our fundraising efforts, and we want to be transparent about how those funds are used. Our absolute priority is ensuring that every penny raised goes directly towards providing free literature and resources to those who need them most.
To make sure vital information is never placed behind a paywall, we focus our funding on creating and distributing high-quality resources at no cost. As a result, we are not currently able to commit funds to direct research; instead, we ensure all our materials are freely available to:
- Patients and caregivers navigating a diagnosis
- NHS healthcare professionals, including Macmillan cancer nurses
- Maggie’s Centres, Private Clinics, Charities, & support groups across the UK
Involving You in Research
While our finances are dedicated to these free resources, we still believe research is vital. We take great pride in involving our community in participating in important research initiatives. By taking part in these projects, you help shape the future of care.
Support Our 40 Year Appeal
To help us continue providing free information and support to those affected by oesophageal and gastric cancers, we have launched our 40 Year Appeal. If you are able to donate, your support will help ensure our vital resources remain freely available.
Looking Ahead to 2026
We are entering the new year with a fresh brand, a new website, and 40 years of momentum. We are already concentrating on some exciting new initiatives for 2026 that we can’t wait to share with you.
Thank you to all our donors, supporters, and friends for an incredible year. Have a lovely Christmas and a peaceful New Year—we look forward to a bright and exciting 2026 together!
With heartfelt gratitude,
The OPA Cancer Charity Team
