Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Cancer, pleasure and intimacy: Sarah-Jane’s story

Sarah-Jane found it difficult to cope with how her gynaecological cancer diagnosis and treatment affected her experience of pleasure and intimacy. The lack of information from her medical team and conversations around how a woman’s intimate relationship with their body and sex can change during and after cancer treatment left her feeling invisible. Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling Project is where people affected by cancer have created their own videos to talk about their experiences. Sarah-Jane is one of our stories of the month for September, where we will be focusing on cancer, sex and our relationship with our bodies. For many people, your sex life and sexual health can be important parts of your life before, during and after cancer. September is also Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Look out for our improvements

On Macmillan’s Community, our members are at the heart of everything we do. We’re always looking to improve the site for you and we’re so excited to finally be able to share some improvements that are just around the corner. We know what an important source of support the Online Community is for many. In the next few weeks we will be launching a number of improvements on to the site. These enhancements aim to improve the site for all, as well as add a number of new features many of you asked for. All the images and examples below are shown using the Community on a mobile phone. We know these are the devices most used by our members. The improvements we’ve made are based on your feedback. You spoke up and we heard you, now here’s what we’ve done. Our New Homepage You said that the site was difficult…

Tom C - Online Community team
Representing the Online Community at Pride

I'm Eliza from the Community team. This year, I was able to represent Macmillan’s Online Community at York Pride 2022. It was an amazing day full of reflection, support and community. I wanted to share this experience with you all here on the Online Community, and let you know what the day was like and why it was important. If you’re not sure what Pride is, it’s a historic celebration with events and protests across the world to celebrate and recognise the LGBTQ+ community’s history and experiences. Pride is also about recognising the LGBTQ+ community’s ongoing struggles and the need for equality. Pride events take place mainly across June each year. You can find out more in this BBC article about what Pride is and why people celebrate it . Why was I representing Macmillan’s Online Community…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Going back to work during or after cancer: Diana’s story

Lots of members on the Online Community must navigate when and if to go back to work. If you’re not sure what to do about work, you’re not alone. Every month, we’re featuring someone from Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling project. The Digital Storytelling Project is a way for people to share their experiences as a video. Today, we’re featuring Diana. Diana talks about her experiences going back to work. Diana is sharing her story today to help others who are considering when to go back to work. Diana decided to go back to work after cancer treatment because she was feeling lonely. Work can look different for everyone affected by cancer. Some people may want to go back to work as soon as they can. Some people may need a longer recovery. It’s important to make sure you feel you have the right…

Eliza -Online Community Team
The worry of waiting - sharing support on the Online Community

Living with cancer can often mean living with uncertainty and anxiety. Waiting for test results, can be a particularly worrying time for you and your loved ones. Whether you’re awaiting a cancer diagnosis, a referral or reviewing a cancer treatment plan, the waiting period might feel really difficult. You might find it helps to be able to talk to other people with cancer. Some people might find that they are faced with delays or uncertainties with their cancer care. In this blog we will be sharing experiences and coping strategies from around the Online Community. We will also share some useful links to help you advocate for yourself and find the right care and support. Help with your emotions and mental health when waiting Both you and your family members and other loved ones might…

Steph - Online Community Team
Supporting friends - how to ask for, or give support when you or your friend has cancer

After a cancer diagnosis, it might be difficult to know what support you need from friends. When you’re supporting someone you know with cancer, it can be difficult to know how best to support them. Some people feel that they’re not receiving the support they expected from those around them. Some may even feel that their cancer diagnosis has led them to feel ignored or excluded. In this Community News Blog, we’ll be sharing thoughts around being supported and tips on best supporting someone when they have cancer. How best to support my friend? If someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, you will probably want to help. But you might not know what you can do. Or you may have trouble finding the right words when speaking to them. You might be so worried about what to say that you avoid…

Steph - Online Community Team
'Why do I feel so guilty?'

Guilt - one of the most confusing and hard to understand emotions out there. Sometimes, we can feel guilty without quite knowing exactly what we are feeling guilty about. Guilt can also feel like a very irrational emotion. Sometimes we know that what we are feeling guilty about isn’t our fault, yet it can still be hard to shake that feeling of guilt. Whenever anything big happens in our lives, we can feel lots of different emotions, sometimes even feeling things we haven’t felt before. When you, or a loved one, is diagnosed with cancer it’s understandable to feel a whole range of emotions. These emotions can include anger, sadness, confusion and even guilt. There is no wrong or right way to feel and not everyone will feel these emotions. The most important thing is to be kind to yourself…

Former Member
Winter Picture Festival - Let's get creating and sharing!

Many of you might remember last year's Winter Picture Festival , where many of you shared pictures of your art, crafts, dogs and beautiful snowy scenes. Across the site, we know many of our members love sharing their creations, photography and paintings. The Winter Picture Festival is a celebration of your creativity, and an opportunity to bring joy to yourself and other members here on the Online Community. To join in with the Winter Picture Festival, all you need to do is upload a picture in the "Winter Picture Festival" discussion thread. We’ve set up a discussion thread in the “Express Yourself” group . We’d love to see everyone getting involved using the “Reaction” buttons to let other members know you liked their picture! It would be lovely see pictures on a winter or festive theme…

Eliza -Online Community Team
The cost of cancer - need help with transport and parking fees?

This new miniseries about the additional costs a cancer diagnosis can cause, is highlighting a few of the most common concerns members of the Online Community talk about in our forums. We know that cancer can have an impact on your finances and we often see members talking about the cost of transport and parking when attending hospital appointments. If this is something you are concerned about, hopefully you’ll find the information in this blog helpful. Some people need to travel a long distance for hospital appointments which can cause a lot of worry when it comes to arranging how you will get there. Arranging your own transport arrangements can feel overwhelming especially when looking at the cost involved with parking, fuel or public transport. Even if you aren't travelling far, these…

Megan- Online Community Team
Sex and cancer uncovered – your needs are worth talking about!

Mentioning the Unmentionable If you ask the average person about what part sex and intimacy plays in their life, it wouldn’t be unusual to see them curl up like a pretzel with embarrassment. Despite being the most natural and healthy thing in the world, it’s a topic often relegated to the ‘unmentionable’ pile. Although sex and intimacy are a fundamental part of the human experience, the topic seems to inspire a unique level of shame when trying to talk about it openly. Unlike talking about our favourite foods or our preferred sleep routine, talking about sex can lead to red faces, giggles, and a desperate effort to escape the discussion completely. For someone affected by a cancer diagnosis, the topic becomes vastly more complex. It isn’t just the social taboo of sex usually being a highly…

Matthew - Online Community Team
Winter Picture Festival 2023 - Highlights

With just over 50 days left until the official start of spring, it might be a bit of a stretch to say that we're properly through the winter period just yet. Even so, with the shortest day now well behind us, it feels like a good time to look back at the winter like we're moving out of it. Perhaps that's wishful thinking, but I'm ever the optimist! What better way is there to review a season passed than with a selection of lovely photographs? Well, it just so happens that we have a wonderfully talented bunch of Community members in the Express yourself forum who submitted some cracking winter scenes to our Winter Picture Festival 2023 thread. For your viewing pleasure, I present you with some of our favourites! Above: Two beautiful shots from jane2511 capturing a frozen spider's web,…

Matthew - Online Community Team
What Community members wished they had known before surgery

In the latest of our new series of blogs sharing hints and tips from members, we asked members of the Online Community, "What do you wish you had known before you had surgery?" Members shared personal experiences alongside the questions they asked, practical tips and some reassuring messages. This blog features conversations about a range of different surgeries that may be relevant to you. There is also some general advice to help you prepare for surgery and appointments. Click on the blog headings to help you navigate the different sections in the blog. Table of Contents Being prepared and recovery Hysterectomy TURP surgery Tracheostomy, Laryngectomy and bypass tube Thyroid surgery Cystoscopy Laparoscopic anterior resection Breast cancer surgery Skin cancer surgery…

Megan- Online Community Team