Charity Fundraising and the Ethics of Voice: Cancer Survivors’ Perspectives on Macmillan Cancer Support’s “Brave the Shave” Campaign

Abstract

“Brave the Shave”, a campaign by the UK charity Macmillan Cancer Support, encourages people to seek sponsorship to shave off all their hair and share the event on social media. Brave the Shave has attracted fierce criticism from a group of breast cancer survivors who have made it clear that they find the campaign deeply offensive and insensitive. Despite the controversy, Macmillan is continuing with this fundraising initiative, arguing that it is financially successful and provides much-need resources for its services. Its line of defense amounts to the argument that the ends justify the means. This apparent refusal to hear and act upon the complaints forms the central focus of this article. Macmillan’s denial sits uneasily with its mission to improve the lives of cancer survivors. The case invites ethical questions around how much voice clients have, the lack of recognition for cancer survivors’ experiences and the general power deficit in the donor-recipient relationship. The article argues that a commitment to a meaningful dialogue and a willingness to be transparent with clients about campaign strategies would be a potentially important step toward avoiding offensive fundraising narratives which deny the suffering of the very people charities aim to assist.