Community News - Macmillan Online Community

'What grief has taught me' by Melanie - Vol 2 'The problem with looking too far ahead'

In today’s Community News Blog we have the second volume of our guest blog series, ‘What Grief has taught me’ by Community member MelanieL. Melanie has been a member of the Community and a contributor to the Prostate cancer , Carers only and Bereaved spouses and partners discussion groups for a long time. Melanie lost her husband Paul to an advanced form of prostate cancer in May of 2018. In this series Melanie explains what she has learned in her journey through bereavement so far, in the hope that it will be of help to many. If you missed Vol 1 of Melanie's blog, 'The ever changing journey of my grief', you can click here to read it. Vol 2 - The problem with looking too far ahead I have learned that it is important not to look too far ahead and not to think too much about the future.…

Former Member
'Nobody is perfect, but my mum was about as close as it is possible for a human to get' - Benedict's blog

Benedict and his mum at his master’s graduation in 2018. Benedict used to work as part of Macmillan’s Community Team, he got in touch recently to send us a piece he wrote about coping with the grief of losing his mum on Easter Sunday last year. We wanted to share it with you all today, and we want to thank Benedict for writing such an honest, open, and powerful piece of writing for us. I’m not really sure why I’m writing this. Aside from a few tentative forays into journalism during a post-graduate career crisis, and some student essays of questionable quality, I’ve never been much of a wordsmith. But for the best part of 24 years, I do know that I have been somewhat of an introvert; an introvert who on the whole finds it difficult having difficult conversations with real human beings and…

Former Member
'I do find it helps to go outside and just breathe in the fresh air for a minute or two' - (Denby) Wellbeing roundup: January

January can be a bit of an odd month, both full of the promise of a new year and a fresh start but also a time where the mornings and evenings are dark, the weather chilly and the routines of the pre-holiday season hard to settle back into. To help us all through the next few weeks, we have put together some amazing wellbeing tips and expressive thoughts that we have collected from the Community. So why not put the kettle on, settle down on the sofa and take a moment to look through our favourite wellbeing tips of the moment? 'I do find it helps to go outside and just breathe in the fresh air for a minute or two - especially when tearful.' - Denby 'Never give up! Look at all the options open to you and use the wonderful NHS and Macmillan staff for advice and support.' – 'I do know that…

Former Member
'Love is the greatest gift you can receive and give, it is priceless' (ellie68) - Wellbeing roundup: February

It seems like February has come around at lightning speed, and despite the dramatic weather of the last few weeks there do seem to me small hopeful signs of spring in the air. Today we have put together some amazing wellbeing tips and expressive thoughts that we have collected from the Community. So why not put the kettle on, settle down on the sofa and take a moment to look through our favourite wellbeing tips of the moment? ‘Imagine being in a room where you cannot reach the door, after each session of Chemotherapy that door gets closer, until in the. end you have opened that door and gone out of that room.' - 'My Motto throughout this journey: One step at a time, One Day at a time. Deal with whatever that day throws at you and move on.' - BrandyGirl 'Love is the greatest gift you can…

Former Member
Sharing support - acts of kindness in and around the Community

The sun is shining in many places across the UK today and similarly, we’re in the mood for some positivity. Stories of kindness and support have been shining a light in the Community and across social media recently, and we’ve collated a few here to brighten your day. Why not post your own story of helping others or others helping you, community spirit or how you’re staying positive in the comments below? "Keep talking" Image text: Can I recommend the @macmillancancer online community if you, like me, are currently affected by cancer in some way? It’s been a brilliant way to feel less isolated for me and that’s even more important considering the current situation. Keep talking. community.macmillan.org.uk Everyone on the Community has the power to make a positive and meaningful impact…

Eliza -Online Community Team
'I am told it helps to put all your worries and anxieties onto paper, that way they are out of your head' - My journey through Breast cancer in verse and word - Vol 2

With all the uncertainty of late, we felt it was important for us here on the Community News Blog to keep going as normal where we can. So today we wanted to share with you the second volume of our new series ‘My journey through breast cancer in verse and word’ by Amanda-Jayne. Amanda-Jayne was diagnosed with Breast cancer in June 2019 and used poetry and journaling to diarise her experience throughout. Amanda-Jayne has very kindly sent through her poetry and writing to us here and we are going to be sharing it with you over the next few weeks. If you missed the first volume of Amanda-Jayne’s blog, click here to read it 20th June 2019 First day back at work since diagnosis, everyone was lovely and supportive, gave me flowers and told me to focus on myself not work. Feel very tearful today…

Former Member
"For now I feel lucky that I have great support around me to face whatever comes my way." - Laura's story for International Brain Tumour Awareness Week

This week (26 th October – 2 nd November) marks International Brain Tumour Awareness Week. To highlight this in today’s Community News Blog Laura is sharing her story about how she coped when she faced a brain tumour diagnosis in 2016. Laura has also been helping support people by sharing her experience of diagnosis on the Brain Tumour Research website. Brain Tumour Research is a national charity which is dedicated to raising funds for scientific research into brain tumours. You can find more information on the fantastic work of Brain Tumour Research here on their website? Laura’s story: Life always throws you curve balls when you least expect it and, in August 2016, I received the devastating news that I had a brain tumour. Eight months earlier I started to not feel like myself as I…

Former Member
'It is a much-loved family recipe'- Dining with an Ostomate: Spaghetti bolognese and carbonara

Debbie, our wonderful 'chef to ostomates' is back today with not one, but two delicious spaghetti recipes. All of Debbie’s recipes are, of course, designed with Ostomates in mind and in case you’ve missed any of her recipes to date, you can find them all in our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group here . So why not put an apron on and get cooking! Enjoy… Here are two recipes with pasta, a failsafe for me when I need to thicken my stoma output. I love to have mushrooms in my Bolognese but with that and celery, I was a bit wary of it at first - until I decided to try blitzing the veg et voila! Dry frying the meat means it’s a healthier recipe than most Bolognese, which add oil. The Carbonara is a great comfort food that I often ate after chemotherapy. It is a much-loved family recipe…

Former Member
"...One of the best bits of advice given to me, has been to try and take every day as it comes..." (Sukki17) - Wellbeing Wednesdays: November

October seems to have flown by in a flurry of multi-coloured leaves and soggy misty mornings. Here’s our ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ summary to ease us into the beginning of November. So put your feet up and have a scroll through some wonderful wellbeing tips from the Community . "...if the event is in our control we can do it, and if it’s not in our control we can decide how we respond to it.’ ‘The old adage “Life is what you make it” really is very true, because even in trying times we have the option to decide what to do, and if the event is in our control we can do it, and if it’s not in our control we can decide how we respond to it.’ ( Tim90 ) ‘The Japanese have a word wabi-sabi - nothing is ever permanent, perfect or complete.’ () "Don't have expectations of yourself. It’s rubbish…

Former Member
‘Just remember you are what's important. Take time for yourself' - (Gingebiscuit) Wellbeing round up: December

While December can be a month of excitement, celebration and time spent with family and friends it can also be a very difficult, stressful and conflicting time for many. Taking time to look after yourself amongst the busyness of the season is so important, so why not grab a hot drink, snuggle up warm and read through some of the wellbeing tips from the last month? 'Time is precious, people are precious, and a good mindset says " don't waste energy stressing over stuff that we just don't have control over but put our energy into getting through each day and enjoying the moment" - coffee time I say. - Thehighlander "they will pass and there will be better days." ‘I find myself having lots of low days and what gets me through them is knowing that they will pass and there will be better days…

Former Member
'I honestly don't think I would be here now if I wasn't told about this site' What the Community means to me...Vol 2: Johnty and Popgate

Today we have the second instalment of our ‘What the Community means to me…’ series. This series highlights just how much support, friendship and kindness is shared on the site every day. Today we have two members, and Popgate sharing their stories and discussing what it means to them to be on the site. Why not take a moment to read through? Missed our first instalment? You can click here to read tvman 's story. Johnty's story: 'I was diagnosed 17 months ago with a rare incurable blood cancer and for the first year I coped all by myself, but as my disease has progressed and is now terminal, I wanted to create a support network for myself. The Macmillan forum has come to play a big part in my emotional well being. "It has meant so much to me to feel useful again..." I have taken all…

Former Member
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Staying safe and looking after each other

Hi everyone, Blankets, cups of tea and biscuits are in order in this uncertain and perhaps stressful month. Discussions about coronavirus (COVID-19) are everywhere on the news and here in the Community, so we wanted to collate some key tips to help you navigate the coming weeks and to stay safe. The government has issued this advice for those who are particularly vulnerable due to their health. This includes advice for carers, advice on hospital or GP appointments and mental wellbeing. This is being updated regularly and we would recommend checking this on a daily basis if you are worried about taking the right steps to stay safe. Macmillan have also provided some information and answered some key questions around cancer and coronavirus (COVID-19) . Some of us may be experiencing confusion…

Eliza -Online Community Team

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