UICC and BBC StoryWorks launch second series of Rewriting Cancer to spotlight global progress and challenges in cancer care

UICC is delighted to announce a second instalment of Rewriting Cancer, a branded content series produced for UICC by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions. Launched at the World Cancer Congress in 2024, Rewriting Cancer’s films were seen around the world. With some 25 million impressions and more than a million visitors to the site on BBC.com, the series ignited conversations about vital progress in diagnosing, treating and curing cancers.  

Reducing the number of people affected by cancer and improving quality of life is an increasingly complex challenge: issues such as the growing prevalence of cancer in young people and increasing pressures on public health sit alongside stories of progress and innovation in areas such as AI and more personalised treatments. Meanwhile, an increase in disinformation around cancer online suggests that trusted, engaging and human-centred storytelling on this topic is important and timely.  

A new series of Rewriting Cancer will aim to address this complexity by sharing human-led tales of challenges and barriers which have been overcome, and of progress and breakthroughs, with a global audience on BBC.com. These stories will offer relatable human-centred narratives to help audiences make more sense of the evolving cancer landscape. 

This new instalment will explore the diverse range of lived experiences spanning prevention, detection, treatment and care alongside four key drivers of change: community, education, collaboration and innovation.  Access, greater equity and people-centred care will be at the heart of its storytelling to shape how the stories are told and understood.

For organisations keen to be featured in the series, BBC StoryWorks and UICC welcome expressions of interest in commissioning a short film that tells a compelling story of progress, innovation or impact—particularly in areas aligned with UICC’s core priorities, such as women’s cancers, lung cancer, improving access to care, strengthening health systems and advancing people-centred care approaches.

A selection of organisations will then be invited to discuss engaging BBC StoryWorks creative teams to produce a vivid piece of branded content for the series, which will require a fee determined by production variables. Please express your interest by completing this short form or by emailing Anna Stephens, Series Developer at BBC StoryWorks (anna.stephens@bbc.com) before the 22nd of September.

The series will be hosted on a dedicated branded hubsite on BBC.com and supported with a multi-platform digital campaign to engage relevant audiences among the platform’s monthly audience of 165 million, amplified by UICC. Partners will also be able to promote the content on their own channels, supported by the BBC StoryWorks and UICC teams.

UICC and BBC StoryWorks also welcome compelling story ideas that align with the themes of the branded series, even if commissioning a film may not be feasible. While we cannot guarantee inclusion, we would be glad to hear from members whose stories could contribute meaningfully to the series’ broader impact. Please reach out to membership@uicc.org if you have any further questions regarding the series.