The meaning of ‘Cancer Experiences’ might not be as obvious as ‘Cancer Types’, but it’s a good way of summarising the wide variety of support groups you can find in this section.
While the Cancer Types section helps members with a similar diagnosis to find and support one another, the groups in the Cancer Experiences section gathers people around the various situations and circumstances they might encounter when cancer impacts the life of themselves or a loved one.
When you visit the Cancer Experiences section, you will find all of the support groups listed in alphabetical order. To help you discover which groups might be most relevant to you, this blog aims to organise the different support groups into a few common categories for you to browse.
If you’re new to the site and not sure which support groups to join, our lovely volunteer Community Champions will be happy to guide you if you post on the ‘New to the Community’ forum. We also have dedicated forums for members across the Online Community to chat about life with cancer in general, as well as a space where members can discuss the subject of cancer as a disease itself.
Although the Online Community is a place dedicated to peer support (members helping other members), we do have some support groups where you can get information and help directly from Macmillan staff:
Everyone is welcome on the Online Community. Sometimes particular cancer experiences can be encountered more commonly by people who share a specific characteristic, heritage or belief. These spaces are here to help members discuss the challenges common to those shared identities.
These support groups are generally for people who have a friend, family member, child, or partner/spouse with a cancer diagnosis. There are support groups for members who are presently caring for a loved one, as well as groups dedicated to supporting people through a bereavement (death).
These support groups focus on issues related to having a cancer diagnosis. Some deal with having an elevated risk of developing cancer, others are about getting support with conditions that often exist alongside a diagnosis. We also have support groups for members who are now cancer-free, as well as those with an incurable diagnosis. You’ll also find a place to discuss the best travel insurance options that cover people with cancer.
The groups in this category all seek to offer peer support to members who have had a cancer treatment of some kind (be it surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy). Whether it’s exchanging tips on things they found helpful, or sharing experiences regarding side-effects, there’s lots of help here.
This last category is all about groups that help you take care of how you’re feeling emotionally and mentally. Discussions around feelings can be found in the Emotional support forum, or members can just post a raw rant about how they’re feeling without a response being necessary in ‘The Room’. There are also spaces for exploring humour, creativity, and the love of our furry (and feathered!) friends.
We hope you found that introduction to the Cancer Experience forums helpful. Peer support can be an incredibly powerful thing, and thanks to the fact our Online Community is a safe and anonymous space, you can always be completely honest here without fear of judgement.
In addition to great peer support, if you need any help or support directly from Macmillan staff, don’t forget you can speak to us directly using the Macmillan Support Line on freephone 0808 808 00 00, or via email, or live webchat. It’s open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, every day of the year.
If you need any help using the Online Community, please contact the Online Community Team directly by sending us an email at community@macmillan.org.uk, or by sending a private message to the Moderator account.
Macmillan and the Online Community are here for you!
