Community News - Macmillan Online Community

'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
Resilience - Coping in the eye of the storm

Resilience is defined as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. The ability to be resilient is often a lifelong aim for many people. Looking after yourself and being resilient might be more important in your life now, than ever. Dr Russ Hargreaves is a Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor here at Macmillan. Russ is here to talk you through finding your personal resilience, and what helps him stay resilient. As I write this blog, we are in the midst of yet another Covid-19 lockdown. For some, this has been a huge inconvenience. For others, possibly the most worrying time of their lives. Others still have appeared to breeze through it, taking each new challenge in their stride. I don’t know which camp you are in, but I dare say you have had your moments over the past year. I certainly…

Eliza -Online Community Team
“That bus, at one point the only thing consuming my vision, was slowly drifting back into the murky grey of the distance…”- Unseeing the Bus: Greg’s story #2

A week after World Mental Health Day on the 10 th of October we’re back with the second part of Greg’s series “Unseeing the bus.” In this three-part series for the Community News blog , Greg shares his experience of mental health in the face of a cancer diagnosis. If you haven’t read part one of the series, you can catch up here . Why not take a minute to read Greg's inspiringly honest account? Unseeing the bus: #2 “Live in the moment because tomorrow you might get hit by a bus......” So I made it back to the bus stop. This time last year I was convinced that I never would. I didn’t know it then, but looking back now, I realise that I was already on my way, tentatively and with a few untimely trips, but nevertheless still making my way back. That bus, at one point the only thing…

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
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 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
'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
"...don't immediately start to focus on the worst-case scenario..." - Meet the Champs: latchbrook

Following last month's 'Meet the Champs' Q&A with MikeO , this month we meet latchbrook , who’s been with the Community since early 2017. You'll find latchbrook champing our Melanoma , Skin cancer and Travel insurance groups, and also welcoming newbies to the Community in our New to the Community group, and giving them a ‘nudge’ in the right direction - what a busy Champion she is! How long have you been using the Online Community, and what brought you to the site? I have been an active member of the site since the beginning of 2017, although I had lurked around a bit before feeling confident enough to post. I’d been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in November 2016 completely out of the blue and wanted to find more information about this type of cancer. I didn’t think to look…

Former Member
Dining with an Ostomate - Chicken and squash gratin

It’s time for another Dining with an Ostomate post – this week Debbie shares with us a DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE ‘Chicken and squash gratin’ recipe. It features the immune boosting, vitamin and fibre-packed butternut squash; and chicken breasts for an added protein punch. Enjoy… Chicken and squash gratin Serves 4, easily halved, and freezes well. Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil. 1 onion, finely sliced. 1 leek, roughly sliced. 450g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm pieces. 3 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips. 50g butter. 50g plain flour. 500ml milk. 100g mascarpone cheese. 2 tsp dried tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh, chopped). 100g ciabatta bread, torn into small pieces. "Immune boosting vitamin and fibre-packed butternut squash..." Method Heat the oil in a…

Former Member
“Everyone needs time to feel crappy and sorry for themselves.” - Family and friends

Our Online Community’s a real ‘Community’. However you’re affected by cancer, the Community’s a place where you can ask questions, and talk through your thoughts and feelings with people who understand what you’re going through. For family and friends, a diagnosis can have a huge impact of them emotionally, and also stretch relationships and support available within family and friendship groups. Whilst it might not always feel a priority, it’s so important for these people to take care of themselves and ensure they’re getting the support they might need. For these reasons, the Community has its Family and friends group. Here are a few recent highlights from the group to illustrate the support available: Having a bad day – a discussion that’s been running just shy of 3 years. Discussions…

Former Member
Diet and cancer on the Community...

Who doesn’t love food? It’s a huge part of our lives – both in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also a social sense – catching up with family and friends, celebratory occasions etc. If you’re healthy, eating the right number of calories and nutrients might not be a problem. However, if you’re receiving treatment for cancer this can be a difficult thing to do – treatment might result in you feeling unwell and unable to eat or digest certain foods. The Community’s a great place to be in the sense that here you can talk to, offer suggestions and support to others who might be struggling with their diet as they go through treatment. I’ve picked a few discussions and highlights from the Community where members have been supporting each other when it comes to diet and cancer. Diet and soya…

Former Member

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