Selected Work

Rare Cancers Australia

A Flexible and Future-Ready Platform to Empower Patients and Drive Change

Patient and carer joining hands to create heart
Rare Cancers home page shown at mobile device size
Rare Cancers Refer a Patient page shown at mobile device size
Rare Cancers Searchresults shown at mobile device size

Rare Cancers Australia sought to create a scalable, user-friendly platform that empowers patients.

RCA (Rare Cancers Australia) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving awareness, support, and treatment outcomes for Australians living with rare and less common cancers.

The RCA team desired a new platform that would not only streamline internal workflows but, when launched alongside a fresh new brand, would also serve as a solid foundation for future innovation.

Rare Cancers Knowledgebase shown at desktop device size
Rare Cancers List of Health Professionals shown at desktop device size

Challenge

RCA needed to replace an inflexible website that no longer met the needs of its broad user base, including patients, carers, clinicians, and government stakeholders. Key challenges included:


Migrating and restructuring over 400 pages of interconnected content in the Knowledgebase, ensuring ease of navigation and improved discoverability

  • Enabling non-technical staff to easily manage, edit and update content

  • Aligning the website redevelopment with RCA’s brand refresh

Rare Cancers Patient stories page shown at mobile device size
Rare Cancers Event page shown at mobile device size

Solution

Grade collaborated closely with RCA and branding partner 3 Blocks Left to design and deliver a new digital experience. The solution included:


  • A restructured and accessible knowledge base tailored to diverse user journeys

  • Implementation of a flexible WordPress CMS with modular components and editable content templates

  • Optimised donation pathway and improved site-wide content management

  • Launch timed with RCA’s new visual identity for a consistent brand experience

Rare Cancers home page shown at desktop device size
Rare Cancers general content page shown at desktop device size

Results

Grade’s redesign of the RCA platform delivered measurable impact, improving visibility, usability, and internal efficiency, helping more people find life-changing information, faster.


  • +25% increase in Google Search clicks
    More people are finding RCA through organic search, reflecting stronger content structure, metadata, and ongoing optimisation efforts.

  • +27% increase in search impressions
    Visibility across rare cancer topics continues to grow, supported by accessible content and SEO-friendly architecture.

  • 10-place improvement in average search position
    With more pages now ranking on the first two pages of search results, vital resources are now easier to find.

  • Faster access to critical cancer information
    One patient described being able to find and share essential resources “within seconds” during a medical appointment - showcasing the real-world impact of the redesign.

  • Empowered content management and future readiness
    The new platform has streamlined internal workflows and put content updates in the hands of staff, while laying the groundwork for future features like multilingual content and AI-assisted guides.

Grade clearly demonstrated that they were experts in the field. The project team was fantastic in helping to manage the build and bring it to life. Case management was thorough throughout, and everyone stayed focused on what we wanted to achieve.

– James Mathews, Rare Cancers Australia

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