Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Pregnancy and cancer support from the Online Community

A cancer diagnosis is upsetting. If you’re pregnant when diagnosed with cancer it can be even more frightening and confusing. You might feel you need additional support as you receive your cancer diagnosis , navigate treatment options and cancer treatment . The Community is here to support you, in addition to a wide range of help available from Macmillan and other support providers. Members of the Community might also be supporting a loved one with cancer at the same time as going through a pregnancy. Or perhaps you are coping with your own cancer diagnosis at the same time as your partner is pregnant. Whatever your situation with cancer and pregnancy, y ou might benefit from additional support as you go through this difficult time. The Community is here for you as a virtual cancer support…

Steph - Online Community Team
Winter Wonderland on the Online Community

Header image: Thehighlander The Winter Picture Festival is held every year here on the Online Community. The festival is to celebrate the season and our members’ creativity. Our members, as always, have shared some amazing photographs with all of us. We’d firstly like to say a big thank you to everyone who shared a picture and helped make the Online Community magical this December. Your pictures have spread a lot of joy and comfort across the Online Community. The Winter Picture Festival is also a great way to highlight how creativity and nature can be great for self care and your mental wellbeing. There was a clear theme in this year’s Winter Picture Festival. This turned out to be the beauty of nature at this time of year. From snowy castles to frosted leaves, Community members took the…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Coping with loneliness over the holidays

Loneliness is something we see members of the Community talk about throughout the year in our Community forums. Feelings of loneliness are often experienced when you have cancer as you may not have told anyone about your diagnosis or told them how you are coping. This time of year can be difficult for many people for lots of reasons and not alone if you’re struggling. Hopefully, this blog will provide some comfort as we’re highlighting conversations from our forums and including support information. “Christmas can be an awful time of year - not just for those of us who have undergone/ getting on with cancer treatments - yet also anyone that feels lonely/ suffering mental problems, etc. It's a very difficult time of year!” Community member, Bowel (colon and rectal) cancer forum “It’s a…

Megan- Online Community Team
Showing your support over the festive season

With the festive season often being a time of giving, we are sharing some guidance for how you can give support online, or in person at this time of year. R ecently there have been discussions about different Christmas gift ideas for someone with cancer, and what to say in a greeting card. We thought we would share a few ideas from these discussions as a guide to help you show support to someone living with cancer this Christmas. Of course, these ideas can be used for other celebrations too. Finding and giving support online There will be lots of celebrations taking place over the next couple of weeks however the holidays are not always an easy time for a lot of people. This time of year can cause a range of emotions for those affected by cancer and Macmillan are here to support you. If…

Megan- Online Community Team
Talking about body image after cancer treatment and improving your self esteem

When cancer or cancer treatment affects your body image, it can change the way you think and feel about yourself. Body image is important as it can be linked to feelings of self-worth. Members of the Community often talk about how the loss of their hair or change of appearance has affected them. In today’s Community News Blog, we will be sharing conversations about body image from around the Community. There is lots of support available and hints and tips to share. Please do have a read through and share with everyone who might need a boost to their self-esteem following cancer treatment. “I finished my chemo just over two weeks ago but feel so down, I think I thought I’m done, now to start feeling better but feel so awful all the time I look in the mirror and don’t recognise myself I…

Steph - Online Community Team
Talking about PIP (Personal Independence Payment) on the Online Community and Macmillan's campaign to 'Pay PIP Now'

On the Online Community, lots of members have been talking about PIP . ‘ PIP ’ is short for Personal Independence Payment , a benefit for people aged 16 to State Pension age. It is for people who have problems with daily living or moving around. Some people with a cancer diagnosis may experience difficulties managing day-to-day with daily living tasks and could be eligible to claim PIP . If you’d like to find out more about PIP and whether you might be able to claim, here's where you can find information about PIP from Macmillan Cancer Support. You might have heard in the media about some people’s difficulties in claiming PIP and delays in PIP payments . Find out more on PIP delays and catch up on Community members’ experiences in this blog. If you’d like to support anyone experiencing…

Steph - Online Community Team
Supporting each other through dying, loss and bereavement: Linda’s story

“From the greatest loss of my life, came the birth of a new beginning and a new way I could help my community.” As Linda says in her video and many people say on the Online Community, you may feel that nothing can prepare you for your loved one’s final days and coping with bereavement. Many people may feel they’re not sure what to expect when a loved one is dying. As part of Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling Project, Linda has created a video to share her experience supporting her mum through end of life. She also talks about her decision to found a charity, No One Dies Alone Ayrshire , to support people who are at the end of their life and their families. We’re sharing Linda’s story this month as part of National Grief Awareness Week . Linda’s video is called “A Hand to Hold”, which you…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Coping with the last celebrations with your loved one

When a loved one has an incurable cancer diagnosis, it may be hard not to think about what might be the last time. The last holiday season, the last birthday. Here in Macmillan’s Online Community, we’re here to help you through what may be the hardest days and time of year. Wee Me’s husband was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumour in September 2020. She has previously shared her experience as a carer and family member on Community News. In today’s blog, Wee Me is talking about how she’s learned to navigate and cope with “the lasts.” “My husband’s initial prognosis in September 2020 was that he had 12-15 months left with us. The question “is this the last…?” reared its scary head several times during those all too quick months.” The festive season will be upon us before we know it…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Finding Cancer Support Online – Where do I start?

We know from our Online Community that dealing with cancer can be overwhelming. People with cancer and their family members, or loved ones, often look for emotional support and practical advice or ways to get involved with others for cancer support online. With Macmillan’s Online Community, you have come to the right place to talk to others who understand. Here you can find peer support and talk to other people with real lived cancer experience. www.youtube.com/watch But where do you start? In today’s Community News Blog that’s exactly what we’re talking about. We're highlighting all the different support available on the Community and also providing tips to help you get started. Using the Online Community The first thing to say is that we know new websites or technologies can be overwhelming…

Tom C - Online Community team
Online Community downtime: Thursday 18th August 2022- 7am to 9am

There is some planned maintenance taking place on Macmillan’s website on Thursday 21st July, from 7am-10am. So that this essential maintenance can take place, the Online Community will experience some downtime. This means that members will not be able to log in, or join the Online Community, between 7 am - 9am On Thursday 18th August 2022. We know how important the Community is as a source of support for our members, so we always do our best to ensure the site is not unavailable for any longer than necessary. Please know that while the site is down, although you will not be able to create an account, log into the site or post, you will still be able to view the Community and read posts and discussions for support. We understand that this may impact members who rely on the Online Community…

Megan- Online Community Team
Breast cancer and femininity: Issy’s story

Did a breast cancer diagnosis change how you felt about yourself or your relationship with a partner? Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling Project is where people affected by cancer have created their own videos to talk about their experiences. Issy is one of our stories of the month for September, where we will be focusing on cancer, sex and our relationship with our bodies. Issy talks about her feelings about her body and sexuality before, during and after her diagnosis and treatment. Her video talks about her relationship and what helped her to feel connected with being intimate. “I was determined that cancer was not going to take away the person I was and was even more determined that my sense of femininity and sexuality would not be affected.” Issy’s story is called “When the lights…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Changing Seasons - Online Community cancer support in 2022.

Summer is often thought of as a time associated with holidays and celebration, Autumn can be more of a time of reflection and transition. As the cold weather closes in and we all face the dreaded prospect of turning the heating on (given the current cost of living crisis), we’re wondering how you’re all feeling? Are you ready to start reflecting on 2022 yet? Or is it too early for all that? In today’s Community News Blog we’re rounding up this year’s blogs so far, sharing highlights and stories of real people affected by cancer that you might have missed. The start of the year had us thinking about New Beginnings , after a changeable few years to say the least. “Today I’m going to be open and not internalise my fear. It’s okay not to be okay.” Online Community member, New Beginnings Blog We…

Tom C - Online Community team