Orchid was announced as a winner of a major national award on 5 March 2024. Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, we were chosen from more than 500 charities across the UK as one of the 10 winners of the 2024 GSK IMPACT Awards in partnership with The King’s Fund. The awards are designed to recognise the outstanding work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK.

The areas of our work particularly highlighted by the Award judges were:

• The wide-ranging work we do to raise awareness amongst the public and health care professionals to spot signs and symptoms of male cancer, including through our Male Cancer Information Roadshows and other outreach programmes.
• The sharing of prostate cancer information by our trained Community Champions who cascade information within their networks and communities including in prisons; our work with Black faith leaders to impart information to their congregations; our piloted work using interpreters to reach different communities which we are now building on; and our prostate cancer awareness campaign aimed at trans women.
• Our determination to target communities most in need and our ability to build strong partnerships across the health and charity sectors to amplify our reach.
• The support we offer including via our Helpline and our penile and testicular cancer telephone counselling service.
• Our work to improve understanding of male specific cancers including possible causes, potential new treatments, and ways of enhancing care, highlighting the work of the Robert Lane Tissue Bank.

Lisa Weaks, Senior Associate at The King’s Fund, said: “Through its creative and inclusive approach, Orchid Cancer Appeal has developed a unique way of reaching those who are more likely to be diagnosed with male specific cancers and is working hard to reduce the gap in poor health outcomes across different communities. It spreads awareness of signs and symptoms, supports those who are diagnosed with these often-devastating diseases, and funds research into the causes and treatment of cancer. For a small charity with very few staff, through their tireless campaigning and research driven focus, they have a substantial reach and impact to support the cancer community.”

Commenting on the Award, Orchid’s CEO Ali Orhan, said: “We are absolutely delighted and proud that our work has been recognised in this way. It’s both a great honour and privilege to now be part of the GSK Impact Award ‘Family’ alongside all the current and previous winners. The training and the recognition that comes with the Award will help us take the charity forward with the ultimate goal of reaching more people at risk of prostate, testicular or penile cancer and better supporting those living with a diagnosis.”

Developing leaders in the charity sector is a key aim of the GSK IMPACT Awards programme and together with other winners Orchid has been invited to build on our success and take part in a tailored leadership development programme run by The King’s Fund.  

Thank you to each and every volunteer, supporter, and everyone we work in partnership with. We could not have done this without you!