Fiona Stevenson
The ‘Lived Experience Award’ recognises those who have generously given up their time to share their cancer experiences with Macmillan. They are making a huge difference to Macmillan and to those living with cancer. The 2023 winner is Fiona Stevenson, who has dedicated her life to making sure no one else has to go through what she did.
When Fiona was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was told she didn’t need chemotherapy or radiotherapy. As a result of this, she wasn’t classed as ‘cancer free’, which meant she couldn’t get health insurance, life insurance or a mortgage. To add insult to injury, she had to face the indignity of being forced to show her mastectomy scar to medical assessors to claim the benefits she was entitled to.
Since then, Fiona has spent nearly 18 years using her lived experience to campaign for Macmillan. By turning her pain into power, Fiona is dedicated to making sure no one else has to endure the financial and emotional struggles that she has suffered.
‘Nobody should be discriminated against because of a cancer diagnosis,’ she says. ‘Many of the issues I have faced are ongoing for so many people, so we need to continue to chip away and make change happen.’
Find out more about the Thanks to You Awards.
