The Charity Show
Science, storytelling and the art of research comms – with Kotryna Temcinaite
Published: 9 March 2026 at 01:01 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In episode 44 of The Charity Show, Tim and Piers sit down with Kotryna Temcinaite, Head of Research Communications at Breast Cancer Now, for an illuminating conversation about one of the most specialised and often misunderstood roles in the charity sector.
Kotryna's journey is a fascinating one: from biochemistry undergraduate to cancer biology PhD researcher, to discovering that what she really loved wasn't the lab work itself, but the stories that came out of it. A decade into her career in charity research communications, she leads a team of four science communicators at Breast Cancer Now, working across press and PR, fundraising, social media, patient engagement and more.
Her conversation with Tim and Piers is honest, practical and packed with insight -whether you work in comms, fundraising, research or leadership.
Together, Tim, Piers and Kotryna explore:
- Why science communication is about far more than just "translating" research into plain English and why that framing undersells the role
- How to tell a scientific story that audiences find genuinely interesting, without losing accuracy or oversimplifying, and the importance of putting research in context so it means something to people living with the condition
- How to build genuine relationships with researchers, manage their expectations around media coverage, and support them without dropping them in the deep end
- The challenge of evidencing the value of a comms team when so much of the work happens behind the scenes — and why misinformation and AI both pose growing risks for research-led charities
- How Breast Cancer Now and Prostate Cancer Research joined forces to fund research into metastatic cancer spreading to the bone, and what the sector can achieve when organisations work together rather than in competition
Useful links:
- Breast Cancer Now – https://www.breastcancernow.org
- Ripple Suicide Prevention – https://www.ripple.org.uk
- Westminster Hall debate transcript (Hansard) – https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026-03-03/debates/A6B461D9-CECF-4376-880B-9365667EC9B7/SmallCharitySector
- Great Gift Aid Hunt 2026 – Swiftaid – https://www.swiftaid.co.uk
- Centre for Social Justice – https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
- Boys in Mind – https://www.boysinmind.org.uk
- Acuro – https://www.acuro.org.uk
- The Good Studio – Great content for good causes – https://www.thegoodstudio.co.uk
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This episode is produced by The Good Studio – Creating great content for good causes. From podcasts and campaigns to film and copywriting, The Good Studio helps charities tell powerful stories that make people care.👉 Find out more at www.thegoodstudio.co.uk
