Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Cancer & Me 35 Years On Vol 5 - Jolly Hockey Sticks!

Today in our Community News blog Willo is back with the fifth instalment of her guest blog series called ‘Cancer & me 35 years on’ . In this series, Willo, known on the Community as patsyann85 , tells us about her experience of being diagnosed with Anal cancer in 1986 while living in Zambia. We will be sharing more of Willo’s writing and incredible artwork throughout the next few months in the Community News . If you missed Vol 4 – Brachytherapy you can click here to catch up. 'For almost a week the caesium needles were sewn into position and I was becoming quite badly burnt and the sickly sweet smell of burning flesh was very noticeable. As the deadline for removal approached I became more and more sore and very scared, as I have good healing skin and anticipated it being difficult and painful…

Former Member
Spotlight on our supportive Bladder cancer forum ahead of Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in May

May will be Bladder cancer awareness month and there is lots of information and support available from Macmillan. Ahead of the start of the month, we are taking this opportunity to highlight some of the bladder cancer support available here on the Online Community. We are catching up with our Bladder cancer form and sharing how the members support each other every day of the year. If you have bladder cancer, or know someone who has, our online support group is here for you as long as you need us. Testing, diagnosis and waiting for results If you have been referred for further tests following signs or symptoms of bladder cancer , it can be a very worrying time. Waiting for results can often be a time when you need a lot of support, as it can be difficult to think of anything else…

Steph - Online Community Team
A lighthouse in someone’s storm- Being an Online Community Champion

You may remember Jane2511 from her other blogs, ‘ Life one year later ’ and ‘ The importance of our pets during our cancer journey ’ . In today’s blog Jane is talking about her role as an Online Community Champion and why she gives back to the Community that helped her. “I became a Community Champion last year because I felt strongly that I wanted to give back to the community that helped me. ” "During my diagnosis and treatments for endometrial carcinoma sarcoma in 2022 one of the first places I turned to was Macmillan. I discovered the Online Community and never looked back. 24 hours a day I could post for support, share experiences with others and learn about my condition. Even reading other people’s previous posts help reinforce that with Macmillan you are not alone. Cancer is hard…

Megan- Online Community Team
Avoiding cancer misinformation and finding trusted support online

There are lots of websites where you can find reliable health information and trusted support. You might also come across information online that is misleading or incorrect. Every day, thousands of people can find out-of-date, misleading and unproven information about cancer online, often without realising. This can happen on search engines like 'Dr Google', social media and AI chat tools. Sometimes people share information because they are trying to help, but it may not be accurate or based on evidence. In this blog we will be sharing members experiences with the aim of helping you find trusted information online. Searching online for cancer information “I know I shouldn't google but I have done and now I'm really scared.“ - Community member When you are waiting to speak to healthcare…

Steph - Online Community Team
Being kind to yourself on Blue Monday

The third Monday of January is sometimes referred to as ‘Blue Monday’. It is known to be a day when people feel at their lowest. With the recent festivities coming to an end and the cold dark days lingering, the annual ‘winter blues’ can creep up on us. Today we thought we would try and bring some positivity into this ‘blue’ day by asking you all to share any of the following in the comment box below. Something kind you have done for yourself. A positive story An inspirational quote or positive affirmation Anything that has made you smile today. All the tips shared may help someone be a little kinder to themselves today or improve their day. Don’t forget if you are feeling blue and need some support, the Macmillan Support Line is open every day from 8am to 8pm. The teams are…

Megan- Online Community Team
Catching up with the Bladder cancer forum- May 2023

With May being Bladder cancer awareness month, we thought we would catch up with our Bladder cancer form to see what questions have been asked recently, and what experiences have been shared. If you are affected by bladder cancer, this blog is a snapshot of the support you can find by joining the bladder cancer forum. Contents Diagnosis and waiting for treatment Needing reassurance and emotional support Coping with the aftereffects of treatment Practical support Supporting someone with Bladder cancer Diagnosis and waiting for treatment Reading about the lived experiences of others, and what their treatment decisions are can provide lots of reassurance and comfort. The power of peer support can help you to feel less alone when processing a cancer diagnosis. One member…

Megan- Online Community Team
'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
November catch-up from the Community - 'This forum is a lifeline and keeps me sane'

As we move into December, it’s time to take a look at what’s been happening on the Community throughout November and share some of the valuable support you’ve been offering each other. We’ve welcomed 1,828 new members to the Community in November. Although we are sorry that circumstances have brought you here, we wish a very warm welcome to each and everyone of you. We hope that you find the site to be a safe place of comfort and support. 'This forum is a lifeline and keeps me sane, thanks to every contributor as they have all helped on the journey. Now 2 years on and things are much better...' - Community member, breast cancer forum We know that the Community can be a lifeline for some members. The Community team will do all we can to ensure we’re here for everyone who needs us. We…

Steph - Online Community Team
Catching up with the Soft Tissue sarcoma forum

With the many different Community groups you can get support from here, it’s not always possible to keep up to date with everything that’s being discussed. This blog is highlighting some of the recent discussions from the Soft tissue Sarcoma forum to help keep our members connected with each other. Although you may not share the same cancer type, there will probably be some similarities with the questions asked from emotional challenges and practical needs. There may be some featured discussions that you relate to in this blog so stay and have a read, you may find some comfort from knowing you're not alone with how you are feeling. “I’m sure these forums will help as well to connect with those in a similar situation.” Community member, Soft tissue Sarcoma forum What are members posting…

Megan- Online Community Team
"Not enough people of colour are going onto that register"- Wilfred's Acute Myeloid Leukaemia diagnosis and treatment story

Wilfred was born in Jamaica and is part of the Windrush generation. He came to the UK around the 1960s and settled in Birmingham. Wilfred was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and shares his reflections post-diagnosis and treatment, alongside the challenges a black person needing a stem cell transplant can face. Wilfred also talks about the need for emotional support when living with cancer and how Macmillan can help. The Online Community is a space to talk about how you are coping and access emotional support in our cancer forums. Join our Emotional support forum or post in our other cancer forums if you need additional support today. The Community is a safe and supportive space for people to share their personal experiences with cancer so if you are affected by Acute myeloid leukaemia…

Megan- Online Community Team
'What grief has taught me' by Melanie - Vol 3 'The time for good self-care is now'

In today’s Community News Blog we have the final 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. Throughout this series Melanie explains what she has learnt in her journey through bereavement so far, in the hope that it will be of help to many. If you missed Vol 2 of Melanie's blog, ‘The problem with looking too far ahead’, you can click here to read it. Vol 3 - The time for good self-care is now I have learned how important good self-care is. It can be so difficult to look after our own needs when…

Former Member
MDS, MPN, ET, PV and MF - support with rarer blood cancers

September was 'blood cancer awareness month' and we shared a Community News blog about the support available on the Community. You can catch up here , if you haven’t yet had a read. We’re following up on September's blood cancer awareness blog to let you know we’ve created a new forum for rarer blood cancers. You can find the new myelodysplasia (MDS) & myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) forum within the ' other cancers group' here on the Community. If you’re looking for support with myelodysplasia (MDS) or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) including essential thrombocythaemia (ET), polycythaemia vera (PV) and myelofibrosis (MF), the Community now has a dedicated space for you. When you or your loved one are diagnosed with one of these rarer blood cancers, it's likely that you hadn't…

Steph - Online Community Team