At Heartburn Cancer UK, we’re passionate about oesophageal cancer survival and raising vital awareness of the dangers of persistent heartburn – yet, as a small charity, we face ongoing capacity challenges.
That’s why we believe corporate pro bono support – free, expert help from businesses – can be a game-changer.
We’ve genuinely benefitted from pro bono support – it’s provided a transformative boost for Heartburn Cancer UK, helping our small team amplify impact and do more with less.
What is Corporate Pro Bono Work?
Pro bono involves donating professional skills at no cost to the charity. Unlike traditional donations, it provides tailored support to charities that might otherwise struggle to afford such services.
Why It Matters to Us
Non-profits like ours often operate with small teams on shoestring budgets, prioritising frontline services over back-office capabilities.
When companies offer pro bono help, they help us build sustainable capacity – whether that’s improving our digital presence, streamlining systems, strengthening governance or something else.
These improvements ripple out: better outreach, more informed campaigns, and ultimately, increased support for patients.
Benefits for Corporate Partners
It’s not just charities that gain from pro bono support – organisations benefit significantly as well.
Engaging in pro bono work helps you to attract and retain socially conscious talent, enhances team morale, boosts employee engagement and retention, and develops essential skills like leadership, creativity, and strategic thinking.
It also strengthens your brand and Corporate Social Responsibility credentials, helping you foster new partnerships with other businesses and community leaders, building goodwill and unlocking future opportunities.
It’s a win-win for all. Businesses gain motivated, skilled, and loyal teams, while charities benefit from essential support to amplify their impact.
Pro Bono Support Helped Our Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Campaign Soar
In February 2025, Heartburn Cancer UK partnered with Costello Medical for our Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month campaign – and their contribution went far beyond our expectations.
Costello Medical confidently and considerately led the campaign strategy, combining public relations, social media, outdoor advertising, compelling patient stories, and close collaboration with national Cancer Alliances.
They helped carry out a thorough analysis of what was required prior to the campaign, designed and produced campaign assets, managed filming and editing of patient stories, ran weekly update meetings, and brought vibrant energy, professionalism and positivity to every session.
Their dedication helped us spread our core message – that persistent heartburn isn’t just a nuisance; it could be a warning sign of something more serious, like Barrett’s or oesophageal cancer. The results exceeded all expectations, and thanks to this partnership, the campaign’s collateral is now rolling out in other regions through Cancer Alliances across the country.
We are thrilled to share that Costello Medical has since been shortlisted as PM Society PMi Award 2025 finalists in two categories for our impactful disease awareness campaign, and we are very excited for judging day in September!
Pro Bono Impact Beyond Just Support
Our partnership with Costello Medical has truly been transformative for Heartburn Cancer UK. As a small charity, working pro bono with such a skilled, passionate team has added scale and reach to our voice – at no cost.
Their outstanding work in strategic planning, content creation, and ongoing collaboration has enabled us to engage new audiences and strengthen relationships across the UK.
Even better, the materials they helped develop continue to support our mission, empowering other Cancer Alliances to replicate the campaign in their areas. Their contribution proves how pro bono partnerships can amplify impact, enhance capacity, and drive real change – especially for charities with limited resources.
“The #MoreThanJustHeartburn campaign, a powerful collaboration between Costello Medical and HCUK, raised vital awareness about persistent heartburn as both a cause and symptom of Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer. This campaign is a benchmark in impactful, evidence-led communication that is already influencing future awareness work nationally. This campaign wouldn’t have been possible without Costello Medical’s pro bono support - we’re incredibly grateful for their expertise, creativity, and collaborative spirit.” Fiona Labrooy, HCUK Chief Operating Officer
Your Chance to Make a Difference
If your organisation cares about cancer awareness, trusted information, earlier diagnosis and patient support, let’s explore how your team’s expertise can help – we’d love to talk about creating a pro bono partnership that strengthens our work and elevates your CSR goals.
For more information, reach out to us. Together, we can make a lasting difference.
