The four-day initiative, organised by the Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro (LPCC), will run until Sunday, 1 November, with 21,600 volunteers collecting donations in shopping centres, churches and other public spaces throughout the country.

The campaign is one of the organisation’s most important sources of funding, helping to provide practical, financial and psychological assistance to people affected by cancer.

Last year’s appeal raised more than €2.2 million, contributing to support for approximately 25,200 cancer patients.

For many people undergoing cancer treatment, the financial consequences can extend well beyond medical bills.

Transport to hospital appointments, medication, food and other everyday expenses can become increasingly difficult to manage, particularly when illness affects someone’s ability to work.

According to the LPCC, donations collected through its fundraising activities help address these essential needs, while also supporting patients’ families and caregivers.

The organisation’s work extends to psychological support, cancer screening, early diagnosis and scientific research.

Figures released by the LPCC show the scale of its services over the past year.

The charity provided more than 21,300 psycho-oncology consultations, offering specialist psychological support to people dealing with cancer.

It also assisted more than 8,200 patients through day centres and almost 400 people in residential care facilities.

In addition, the organisation reported more than 14,500 early-diagnosis consultations and 432,000 mammograms.

These services form part of the LPCC’s broader efforts to improve access to cancer prevention, detection and patient support throughout Portugal.

This year’s campaign is being held under the Portuguese slogan Quem ajuda, ajuda muito, which translates approximately as “Every little bit of help makes a big difference.”

Volunteers taking part in the collections will be identifiable by their official LPCC vests and donation boxes.

The organisation is also encouraging people who cannot contribute financially to consider volunteering their time.

According to information published on the LPCC’s official website, participants can volunteer for all four days, individual days or just a few hours, depending on their availability.

Volunteers can also indicate the municipality where they would prefer to help, with local arrangements coordinated through the charity’s regional branches.

Alongside its fundraising activities, the Portuguese Cancer League plays an important role in raising awareness of cancer prevention and screening.

Its work includes breast cancer screening programmes, public education and support for research into the disease.

The need for these services remains substantial.

Figures from Portugal’s National Cancer Registry, referring to 2022, recorded 60,954 new cancer diagnoses nationwide, illustrating the scale of the challenge facing healthcare providers, patients and their families.

While cancer treatment is provided through Portugal’s healthcare system, the LPCC offers additional services intended to address needs that can arise during diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

These range from psychological counselling to social assistance and practical support.

Members of the public can make donations directly to authorised volunteers between Thursday, 29 October, and Sunday, 1 November.

Those wishing to contribute online can do so through the Portuguese Cancer League’s official website.

The organisation is also accepting applications from people interested in joining the fundraising effort as volunteers.

For the LPCC, the annual appeal is not simply about raising money over four days. It provides funding for services that patients and families may depend on throughout the year.

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