Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI
A future-proofed website for Blood Cancer support
Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI (LLNI) is a Northern Ireland based charity dedicated to improving outcomes for people affected by blood cancer. As the charity approached its 60th anniversary, it became clear that their website needed to evolve. Not only to reflect six decades of impact, but to support increasingly complex needs and increased functionality across fundraising, research and patient support.
We recently spoke with Tanya Mayne, Fundraising Manager at LLNI, where she was able to share her experience of the process working with DHD and the impact the new website had for the charity.
About LLNI
Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI is the only charity in Northern Ireland dedicated to blood cancer research. Each year, around 40,000 people are diagnosed with blood cancer across the UK with approximately 1,200 of those being in Northern Ireland.
Blood cancer remains one of the most serious cancer diagnoses in the UK, and LLNI plays a critical role locally ensuring that people have access to information, support, and opportunities to contribute to ongoing research and care. All funds raised remain in Northern Ireland to support work carried out locally at the Johnston Centre for Cancer Research in Belfast.
The Challenge
The charity’s previous website was no longer able to adapt to changing needs and increased functionality demands. The new website needed to:
- Support a growing range of audiences with different goals
- Enable modern fundraising tactics, event management, and ticketing
- Reflect the charity’s identity and credibility
- Scale alongside future campaigns and initiatives
- Enhance brand awareness
- Educate the public on blood cancer and the symptoms to look out for
In addition to these challenges, the project needed to be delivered quickly to align with the charity’s 60th anniversary. A milestone year that included major fundraising campaigns and events, including their Diamond Gala Ball with a public lottery to win a diamond necklace.
Our Approach: A Collaborative Partnership
From the outset, our focus was on partnership. The DHD team, led by Steven and Hope, got to work quickly to understand Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI’s mission, values and long term objectives, ensuring the website would support more than just immediate requirements.
By embedding ourselves into the process early and maintaining clear, open communication throughout, we were able to move efficiently without sacrificing quality. UX Designer Hope worked closely with LLNI to translate their objectives into a design balancing usability, aesthetics and functionality.
This collaborative approach was particularly important due to the tight timeframe we had to complete it ahead of the 60th Anniversary, allowing decisions to be made confidently and momentum to be maintained.
The Solution
We delivered a complete UX and UI process and website build, designed to meet the diverse needs of LLNI’s audiences while remaining intuitive and easy to navigate.
Key elements included:
- User Centered UX Design – Clear pathways for patients, researchers and supporters, ensuring people are able to quickly find relevant information without feeling overwhelmed.
- Clean, modern UI Design – A refreshed visual approach that reflects the charity’s credibility, compassion, and professionalism.
- Fundraising and donation user journeys – Simplified flows to reduce friction and make it easier for supporters to contribute.
- Events and ticketing functionality – Supporting milestone fundraising events and public campaigns, including initiatives for the 60th anniversary.
- E-Commerce functionality – Enabling the sale of charity products such as seasonal merchandise.
- Training and ongoing support – Empowering the LLNI team to manage and update the site confidently, with continued support after launch
The Result?
The new website now acts as a central digital hub for Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, supporting information sharing, fundraising, events, their online shop, and engagement in one cohesive platform.
Importantly, the charity has confidence that their website is built for longevity. It is flexible enough to grow alongside future campaigns and robust enough to support people seeking help, guidance, or ways to get involved.
For charities and non-profits, a website is more than a digital presence, it’s a critical tool for connection, support, and action. This project with LLNI demonstrates how thoughtful UX and UI, and a collaborative approach can create websites that genuinely serve people and causes over the long term.
Special thanks
Thank you to Tanya and the entire team at Leukaemia & Lynphoma NI, for working closely with us throughout this project.
It was an honour to work on your new website especially during such an important milestone for the charity.
