UK charity Breast Cancer Care (BCC) is set to expand the development of its end-of-treatment support app after receiving a £655,000 cash injection from the Big Lottery Fund, the country’s largest distributor of National Lottery money.

BCC’s Breast Cancer Care App (BECCA), designed to help women manage their condition after hospital treatment ends, has amassed over 7,500 users since its launch in May 2017, and its base is still growing. While the app is currently a resource which offers disease management tips, the charity hopes to take this new funding to expand it into a tool "which learns from its users’ interactions and will offer trustworthy information tailored to their needs."

This expansion will include new content which will comprise up-to-date information on well-being, diet, and managing side-effects of treatment, searching the internet to provide users with relevant articles.  

 "We are incredibly grateful to have received this grant as it will allow us to continue revolutionising the way Breast Cancer Care supports people at the end of treatment, which we know is often the hardest part," commented David Crosby, Director of Services and Engagement at Breast Cancer Care. "Debilitating long term side effects, anxieties about the cancer returning and damaged body confidence are just some of the issues people are left with as they walk out of the hospital doors.

"We’re delighted the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the important role digital technology can play in offering vital support efficiently and effectively. Around 691,000 people are alive in the UK after a diagnosis of breast cancer, and the numbers are only set to rise. So it’s crucial we do more to reach as many of those who need support as possible, and make sure they know they’re not alone," he added.

The Big Lottery Fund provides around 40% of money raised by National Lottery players to charitable causes, donating £713,000 last year to 14,000 health, educational and environmental projects across the UK. Joe Ferns, Director of UK Funding at the Big Lottery Fund, said: "This app has been developed as a result of listening to the needs of women who have experienced breast cancer, putting them in the driving seat to shape what support is available at the end of treatment. It is thanks to National Lottery players that we can help the expansion of the app to support thousands more women across the UK."

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