Make 2nds Count

What Make 2nds Count does

Make 2nds Count is a UK-wide patient- and family-focused charity dedicated to supporting women and men living with secondary (metastatic) breast cancer. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Edinburgh (Registered Charity SC048268), the organisation operates with 14 employees and serves an estimated addressable population of 61,000 UK patients and their families. Its mission spans three pillars: funding secondary breast cancer research with near-term patient benefit, delivering in-person and online support programmes, and educating the public and patients about the disease.

The organisation's service portfolio combines peer-to-peer community support (21 regional in-person Tea & Chat groups plus a closed Facebook community), weekly online wellbeing sessions (Pilates, Yoga, Breathwork, Mindfulness, and newly introduced strength training through Exercise Prescription), nurse-led Clinical Trials Service supported by a UK Clinical Trial Registry, residential 2nds Together Retreats, an annual SBC Summit, and a Family Support Service. On the research side, it has committed £635,000 in cumulative funding to studies including the HER2+ CNS SURVEILLANCE Study (co-funded with Breast Cancer Ireland, £219,560 over 3 years), the PRIMROSE CSF study (with Daiichi Sankyo and North West Cancer Research), the ESTABLISH insomnia study, and the LIMBER and TNBC mutation profiling projects, in partnership with the University of Liverpool, University Hospitals Birmingham, and the University of Edinburgh.

The business model is donations-driven rather than commercial. Revenue is generated from individual donations (with illustrative tiers from £20 to £1,000), fundraising events (notably the Inflatable 5K held at multiple UK venues), an online merchandise shop, legacy giving, corporate partnerships, and grants from trusts and foundations. All patient-facing services are provided free of charge. Distribution is primarily digital (website, newsletter via eTapestry, Instagram, Facebook) supplemented by 21 regional in-person groups and events. The organisation's technology footprint is intentionally light — the proprietary Clinical Trials Registry is its main technical asset, and it integrates with third-party patient tools such as Owise (symptom tracking) and myTomorrows (clinical trial search) rather than building its own digital platforms.

Name

Make 2nds Count

Legal name

Make 2nds Count

Website

https://make2ndscount.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Make 2nds Count is a UK-wide Edinburgh-based charity, founded in 2018, that funds secondary breast cancer research and delivers peer support, wellbeing programmes, a nurse-led Clinical Trials Service, and education for patients and families affected by metastatic breast cancer.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Support and Cancer Charity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Breast Oncology (HLAKAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Women’s Imaging & Breast Health Centers (HLAFAJAJ)

Keywords

• Breast cancer charity
• Cancer patient support
• Peer support groups
• Clinical trial information
• Cancer research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from supporters, ranging from one-time gifts to regular contributions. Donation tiers include £20 for resource cards, £60 for Clinical Trial Nurse appointments, £100 for Tea & Chat groups, £500 for retreat places, and £1,000 for research funding.
2. Fundraising Events: Organised fundraising events including the Inflatable 5K and other activities. Participants raise money through event participation and sponsorship.
3. Shop: Online shop selling merchandise, accessed via make2ndscount.swishprint.co.uk
4. Legacy Giving: Leave a gift in your Will programme allowing supporters to include Make 2nds Count in their estate planning.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations for fundraising support, alongside trusts and foundations grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Make 2nds Count is a UK-wide patient and family focused charity that delivers free support services — peer support groups (Tea & Chat), online wellbeing activities, residential retreats, and family support — alongside a nurse-led Clinical Trials Service and comprehensive patient education resources for people affected by secondary (metastatic) breast cancer. It complements these services by funding secondary breast cancer research focused on near-time patient benefit, with £635,000 in research funding committed to date.

Product overview

Make 2nds Count is a UK-wide patient and family focused charity dedicated to supporting those affected by secondary (metastatic) breast cancer. The organisation offers a integrated programme of support services including peer-to-peer support groups (Tea & Chat), wellbeing activities (Yoga, Pilates, Breathwork, Mindfulness), clinical trials information services, residential retreats (2nds Together), and an online community. Additionally, the charity provides comprehensive patient education resources covering diagnosis, treatments, clinical trials, and living with the disease, while funding secondary breast cancer research through grant programmes. The offering functions as a unified support ecosystem rather than a discrete product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tea & Chat Support Groups 21 regional in-person monthly groups across the UK providing safe spaces for secondary breast cancer patients to build friendships and receive peer-to-peer support.
• Wellbeing Sessions Weekly online activities including Pilates, Yoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness designed to support mental and physical health of secondary breast cancer patients.
• Clinical Trials Service A nurse-led service providing unbiased information about secondary breast cancer clinical trials, personalised database searches, and support for patients exploring trial options in the UK.
• 2nds Together Retreats Residential retreats (in-person and online) providing people living with secondary breast cancer a break from treatment, time to rest and relax, and opportunities to build friendships.
• Family Support Service Support services available to family members and loved ones of those affected by secondary breast cancer, including advice on supporting loved ones and explaining cancer to children.
• 2nds Support Hub An online directory of groups and services available across the UK specifically for secondary breast cancer patients, including the Exercise Prescription strength training partnership.
• SBC Summit Annual conference bringing together the secondary breast cancer community for education, support, and community connection.
• UK Clinical Trial Registry A registry of all actively recruiting clinical trials within the UK relevant to secondary breast cancer, created and maintained by Make 2nds Count to support patients and clinicians in finding trials.
• Patient Education Resources Comprehensive educational materials covering signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, clinical trials, menopause, side effects, palliative and supportive care, and living with secondary breast cancer.
• Online Community (Closed Facebook Group) Closed Facebook-based online community ('2nds Together') enabling secondary breast cancer patients to connect with others, share information, and receive peer support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Funding committed to secondary breast cancer research

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Breast Cancer IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-funding partnership for the HER2+ CNS SURVEILLANCE study, committing £219,560 across 3 years. Research investigating screening secondary breast cancer patients for brain metastases before they become symptomatic.
• Breast Cancer NowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Breast Cancer Now and METUPUK to publish an open letter to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) on equitable access to life-extending treatments.
• METUPUKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Breast Cancer Now and METUPUK to publish an open letter to the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) on equitable access to life-extending treatments.
• Exercise PrescriptionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partnership introducing strength training to the secondary breast cancer community as part of the wellbeing programme.
• University of LiverpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Professor Carlo Palmieri from University of Liverpool leading the HER2+ CNS SURVEILLANCE study and PRIMROSE studies on brain metastases.
• University Hospitals BirminghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Dr Sara Meade at University Hospitals Birmingham, co-leading the HER2+ CNS SURVEILLANCE study.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Breast Cancer Now: The UK's largest dedicated breast cancer charity, funding research and providing support across all stages of breast cancer. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Make 2nds Count's secondary breast cancer research funding and patient support, but also covers primary breast cancer.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing information, financial support, and practical services to people affected by all cancer types. Comparable in its support-service model and patient-information approach, though operating across all cancers rather than focusing on secondary breast cancer.
• Susan G. Komen: The largest US breast cancer organisation, funding research and providing community support. Comparable in its breast cancer focus and research funding model, though it covers all stages of breast cancer and operates at significantly greater scale.
• Cancer Research UK: The world's largest cancer research charity, with significant breast cancer research funding. Comparable in research funding mission and patient information resources, though operating at far greater scale across all cancer types.
• Maggie's: UK charity operating cancer support centres across the country offering psychological, practical, and social support. Overlaps with Make 2nds Count's community wellbeing model (in-person groups, wellbeing sessions) but addresses all cancer types.

Others

• myTomorrows: Global platform helping patients find and access clinical trials, including Treatment Search Reports for secondary breast cancer. An ecosystem partner already integrated into Make 2nds Count's Clinical Trials Service as a recommended resource.
• Owise: UK-based app for tracking breast cancer treatment side effects and symptoms, recommended by Make 2nds Count to its patient community. An enabling technology partner supporting the patient support mission.

Regional players

• METAvivor: US-based nonprofit dedicated specifically to metastatic breast cancer research funding and patient support. Directly comparable niche mission but operating in a different geography (US vs UK), with similar research funding and awareness-raising activities.

Direct peers

• METUPUK: UK charity focused specifically on metastatic (secondary) breast cancer patient advocacy. Direct mission peer that already collaborates with Make 2nds Count on the SMC access letter, addressing the same patient population with overlapping support and advocacy activities.
• Breast Cancer Ireland: Ireland-based breast cancer charity funding research and providing support, including the co-funded HER2+ CNS SURVEILLANCE study with Make 2nds Count. Directly comparable mission and an active research partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/2ndstogether
• Instagraminstagram.com/make2ndscount
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make-2nds-count

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Make 2nds Count