Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Lights, Camera, Action – the Online Community spotlighted in Macmillan Emmerdale TV campaign

At the end of March, we shared a teaser blog about filming a new TV spotlight message for the Online Community. We want to reach more people living with and affected by cancer so we can be there for everyone who needs us. Today, we’re delighted to be able to tell you more about this important project and how members of the Community team have been involved. Throughout April, May and June 2026 Macmillan partnered with ITV's Emmerdale , the much-loved British ‘soap opera’ to help raise awareness of the realities of a cancer diagnosis and the vital support that Macmillan can offer. Steph starred in an advert to appear after Emmerdale to spotlight the support available from the Online Community. Emmerdale’s prostate cancer story Macmillan was proud to be partnering with much-loved soap…

Steph - Online Community Team
“I did not know the stranger looking back at me from the mirror.” -Renita’s hair loss story

Last month, Community member Renita ( RMD ), shared her story in this blog , of being diagnosed with invasive multifocal ductal and lobular breast cancer. She wrote about the challenges of treatment and how the Macmillan Online Community gave her support, hope and comfort when she needed it most. In this blog, Renita shares her experience of losing her hair during treatment, hoping to help others going through the same thing feel less alone. I thought being diagnosed with multifocal invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer was traumatic. Don't get me wrong, it was, very much so, as was the mastectomy that followed and the various side effects of chemotherapy. Each one seemingly worse than the last. Despite having worn the cold cap during my chemotherapy sessions, enduring the freezing…

Megan- Online Community Team
Cancer treatment - Living with a PICC line

Do you have questions about living with a PICC line ? The Online Community is a great place to hear from others about their experiences. You can also ask clinical questions to our Cancer Information Nurse Specialists . In this blog, we’re highlighting conversations from the Online Community about PICC lines, and how you can take part. Getting a PICC line fitted For many members, the idea of having a PICC line fitted can feel worrying at first. In the Breast cancer forum , some members shared that the procedure itself was much easier than they expected. “the insertion of the PICC was absolutely painless, in fact I did not even know the procedure had been done.” “I was terrified of having it inserted but it didn't hurt me either.” Another member described how the process felt straightforward…

Dylan - Online Community Team
“Am I the only one awake?” Cancer and sleeplessness

Have you been up in the early hours of the morning because of your cancer diagnosis? If so, you are not alone. Our Community is available 24 hours a day, making it possible to post or reply in the forums no matter what time you are awake. We often have members writing about their struggles with sleep. In this blog, we want to feature some of those discussions and highlight insightful experiences and wisdom shared. “At times sleep is a mystery on the cancer journey” Community member, Breast cancer forum “Hi folks, this is my first post and it’s the middle of the night because I can't sleep.” Community member, New to the community forum Timeless support: A 7-year conversation Seven years ago, a member of the breast cancer forum found herself…

Dylan - Online Community Team
When Positivity Hurts: Insights from the Online Community

Maintaining a positive outlook can be incredibly helpful when coping with a cancer diagnosis. Although positivity has a role to play in staying emotionally healthy, it isn’t always healthy when it becomes the only focus. A number of Online Community members have shared how painful and isolating it can feel if a loved one repeats certain positive phrases or overly optimistic attitudes whilst ignoring the more authentic negative feelings a person might be struggling with. When a focus on positivity dismisses someone’s true feelings, it can become “toxic.” We published our first blog on toxic positivity in 2023. It resonated deeply with the Community, inspiring us to write a follow-up blog last year. Now, we’re back with part three. This edition highlights members' comments from Toxic Positivity…

Dylan - Online Community Team
Hair care, hair loss and styling tips from the Community

Are you having treatment and worried about losing your hair? Or do you have questions about styling hair changes? This blog includes some recent experiences and suggestions from Community members across our different groups. There are some great support resources and information to help you cope with hair loss, and we will include some of these towards the end of the blog. We know that hearing the experiences of others can be invaluable when learning how to manage side effects like hair loss, hair styling and maintenance, so we hope you will find the following helpful. Hair loss Coming to the forums to ask questions about hair loss can help you manage and process any hair loss side effects of treatment: “After chemotherapy, when the hair starts growing back, has anyone had experience…

Megan- Online Community Team
Diagnostic testing for endometrial cancer- Jane’s story

Jane was treated for endometrial cancer in 2022 and became a Community Champion in 2023. She volunteers in the Womb (uterus) cancer forum and across the Online Community. Members often turn to Macmillan for support during the diagnostic process so Jane is sharing her personal experience undergoing diagnostic testing for endometrial cancer, which may provide some reassurance if you have concerning symptoms. Dealing with symptoms My first symptom was a heavy vaginal bleeding where I passed palm-sized clots. This caused some cramping and lightheadedness. I also felt some lower back pain. After general checks at A&E, I was seen by a gynaecologist who referred me for further testing, and I was put on the two-week cancer referral pathway. I was unhelpfully told that only ‘one in ten ladies…

Megan- Online Community Team
Take a moment

Today’s blog is exploring how you can take a moment for you, in a way that is accessible and safe for your situation. We know that alongside the physical impacts of cancer, there’s also the emotional effects to cope with and you may be wondering what support is available to help you. There’s a lot of discussions from members of the Community sharing the different strategies and techniques. Complementary therapies and relaxation techniques can have a positive impact to your emotional and physical wellbeing. Included in this blog are personal experiences shared by members of the Online Community. Why is it important to take a moment Living with cancer, or being there to support someone, can add a lot of anxiety and stress. This could be from dealing with uncertainty, attending lots of appointments…

Megan- Online Community Team
Living with incurable cancer – Online Community support

Macmillan’s Online Community can support you when you have incurable cancer. Only those who have an incurable diagnosis can truly understand how you are feeling, so it can be helpful to connect with others in a similar situation. If you have an incurable cancer diagnosis, you may find it helpful to join the Living with incurable cancer forum as an additional source of support. The following will introduce you to the group and highlight the emotional support this forum can offer. We will feature discussions and posts from people already posting in this group alongside other sources of support. Why join the Living with incurable cancer forum? It's good to connect with people who have a similar cancer type in the other cancer forums so you can support each other through similar treatments…

Megan- Online Community Team
Cancer and gardens - enjoy garden and gardening chat with members of the Online Community

Image credit: tvman - part of my vegetable garden Members of the Community have been talking a lot about gardens and gardening. If you’re struggling with cancer, or the effects of cancer treatment , you might benefit from gentle activity around the garden, or simply just sitting in nature. It’s often said that the physical activity of gardening is beneficial to both the body and mind. Whether you have your own garden, you’re in a gardening group or have access to a community garden , you might find there are health benefits to getting outside. Let’s have a look at some of the conversations about gardens and gardening from across the Online Community. Community member tvman regularly shares the benefits of gardening through regular updates about his fruit and vegetable growing in the…

Steph - Online Community Team
Finding human connections and support: Rubina’s story

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel lonely and isolating. But you don’t have to feel alone. There’s lots of support available for you, although you may not know at first where to find it. We’re here to help here on the Online Community. Every month, we share a person from Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling project here on the Online Community. Today, we’re featuring Rubina. Rubina was diagnosed with bowel cancer. It took a long time for Rubina to receive a diagnosis, she felt her primary care did not fully investigate her concerns. By the time Rubina was diagnosed, her cancer was already advanced. Rubina felt very disappointed, angry and frustrated as there was no compassion or empathy from her medical professionals when she needed it the most. She couldn’t share her feelings as she didn…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Coping with the news you have incurable cancer

Finding out you have an incurable diagnosis can bring lots of different emotions. You may not feel your friends and family members can understand what you’re going through. You may not understand why you feel the way you feel. Jenna is one of our Information and Support Advisors on Macmillan’s Support Line . She is here to talk you through ways to understand and cope with your emotions and mental health. If you’ve been diagnosed with incurable cancer, it may help to talk. Please remember you can access support in our “Living with incurable cancer” group . This blog post is a bit longer than our other blog posts here on Community News. This is just to help you access all the information and support you may need in one place. Please feel you can read this at your own pace. To help you find…

Eliza -Online Community Team