Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Local Cancer Community Meet-ups - support and socialising in Glasgow

If you're in the Glasgow area and you fancy chatting face-to-face with other people affected by cancer, this could be a great opportunity to make some new friends. Macmillan is trialling a new kind of event this summer called 'Cancer Community Meet-ups'. These events intend to build supportive communities of people local to the area they are hosted in. Not to be confused with our Online Community, we'll refer to these events as 'Local Cancer Community Meet-ups' in this blog post. If you would like to discuss attending this event with other members of the Online Community, please don't forget that our Community Guidelines still apply. We ask members not to share contact details or make specific meeting plans on the public forums. The Private Messaging system is a better way to discuss plans…

Matthew - Online Community Team
Sleep after Surgery: How does the Community sleep?

It’s recommended that as human beings, we aim to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Some people can manage with only 4 hours, others may need just a bit over 10. It’s always difficult to get the balance right on normal days. However, for those affected by cancer, it seems particularly difficult to try and get some sleep after having a surgery. There is no right or wrong way on how to get your sleep after surgery. Everyone has their own unique way of finding a comfortable way to the land of nod. If you feel you’re struggling and need some tips, The Community and its members are there for you. If your sleep has become problematic as a result of surgery, please feel free to use some of these examples to try and put your mind at ease. You should always contact your GP or medical team first if your…

Syed - Macmillan
A day in the life of...a Cancer Information & Support Advisor

We are pleased to be continuing our ‘A day in the life of…’ series today with Ruth, who works as an Information and support adviser on the Macmillan Support Line. Now that webchat is available directly on the Community site, we wanted to bring you a few of the faces behind the support and help you get to know more about how our teams can support you. For more information on how to use Webchat, please click here to read our recent Community News blog. So here’s what Ruth had to say when we asked her a few questions about her day, over to you Ruth! So firstly, what is a Cancer Information and Support Adviser? A Cancer Information and Support Adviser works directly with people affected by cancer on the Macmillan Support Line – our job is to offer a listening ear and emotional support, as…

Moderator - Macmillan Community
Coping on Mother's Day - some support from the Community

This Sunday, it’s Mother’s Day in the UK, so in this Community News Blog we’re taking some time to celebrate and remember mums. We're also sending out a big virtual hug to anyone who finds the celebration a difficult time to get through. We know that Mother’s Day can be particularly tough for those who can't see their mum, or other loved ones, for many different reasons. The Community is here for you if you need emotional support. For those who have lost a child, lost their mum or have a difficult relationship with their mum, it can be a particularly emotional time. Certain days or events like these can often trigger lots of different emotions, no matter how much time has passed. Our thoughts go out this weekend to anyone grieving for their mums, or mother-figures. You can find support…

Steph - Online Community Team
Cancer and me 35 years on - Vol 8 - Lanzarote & Menorca

On a very cold and grey January afternoon during a national lockdown, thinking about holiday memories can be a lovely pass time. National travel restrictions mean it may be a while before we can pack our suitcases excitedly again, but luckily today our guest blogger Willo, known on the Community as patsyann85 , is here to tell us about her first holiday in Europe after recovering from her Abdominoperineal Resection procedure. To catch up with the rest of Willo’s blog series, ‘Cancer & me 35 years’ on, click here . Lanzarote & Menorca At the end of April and beginning of May, my friend Alma invited me to spend two weeks with her at her time-share in Lanzarote – and another friend offered to pay my airfare, so footloose and fancy free for the first time since I was 14, off I went for my first…

Former Member
A day in life as a Macmillan Telephone Buddy- Carol’s experience

Carol, one of the Macmillan Buddy volunteers is sharing her experience and inviting us into a usual day as a Macmillan Buddy. Carol also tells us why she signed up to be a Macmillan volunteer and what the role looks like day to day. If you are considering signing up for support from a Macmillan Buddy or signposting someone to this service, this blog will be useful for you to read. Carol's experience My name is Carol and I’ve been a Telephone Buddy for several years. Before the pandemic, I volunteered at my local Macmillan Centre but, when it became impossible to see patients and families face to face, I applied to be a Telephone Buddy. The Macmillan Buddy Service provides emotional and practical support to people living with cancer for up to 12 sessions. To receive this support, anyone…

Megan- Online Community Team
Awake and up all night? Get emotional support around the clock!

Trouble sleeping? Receiving news of a cancer diagnosis can often trigger a time of great uncertainty. Whether the diagnosis is for yourself or a loved one, it is often accompanied by feelings of dread, sadness, and anxiety. Those negative emotions can significantly impact your ability to concentrate during the day and relax at night. Similarly, cancer treatments and the side-effects of various drugs can have an impact on finding restful sleep. During the day, there are usually plenty of commitments to take up your time, and plenty of people around who might need your attention. Be it in your own home, at a place of work, or perhaps at a medical appointment – there are no shortage of distractions. But what happens toward the end of the day? Maybe your friends have gone home. Family members…

Matthew - Online Community Team
Accessing peer support in a different way- Macmillan Buddies: what is it and how to get support

Here on the Online Community, we see every day how helpful if can be to access peer support and connect with your online friends who share similar experiences. Sometimes people look for face to face connections and support which is what the Macmillan Buddies service can provide. Macmillan Buddies is a fantastic resource for supporting people with cancer and Danny, one of Macmillan’s Volunteering Delivery Leads, is sharing some information with us today about how the Macmillan Buddy service can support you. Read this blog to better understand the support they can offer and how to submit a referral. Going through the cancer journey can be a scary and sometimes lonely time. It can be hard to talk to family and friends about how we are feeling and difficult to absorb all the information being…

Megan- Online Community Team
News from the Community Team - Our new Notification Button

Hi everyone, We thought we would use today's Community News Blog to communicate an exciting new development on the Community. You may have already noticed this on your profile, but you should now be able to see a button labelled ‘Notifications’ when you log into the Community. This is our new notification button. This means that anytime anyone interacts with you on the Community a number will appear next to this icon and when you click on it the interaction will be shown. This is also known as ‘live alerts’. "...it’s easier for everyone to have all their notifications in one place..." We have been working on this so that it’s easier for everyone to have all their notifications in one place and you can see clearly who has responded to your posts and interacted with you on the site. …

Former Member
“It’s their job to fight the cancer. Your job is to look after your body and soul and stay sane”: Insights from a Macmillan Online Community Champion

November is Mouth Cancer Awareness Month. A time to raise awareness and support for those affected by mouth cancers. We wanted to take the chance to highlight our Head and Neck Cancer Forum , where members can connect, share experiences, and find support from others who understand what they’re going through. In this blog, we’re sharing insights from MikeO . He joined the Community shortly after his diagnosis and now plays an important role as one of our Community Champions, helping our team keep the Head and Neck Cancer forum safe and supportive. When I got my first cancer diagnosis, in 2013, I found out fairly quickly that I was nothing special. Surgery (neck dissection), and radiotherapy (seven weeks) with a dash of chemo thrown in was a well-worn path. I was scared, and my family were…

Dylan - 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
'I appreciate everything I learn from you' - celebrating our wonderful Volunteer Specialists

This week marks Volunteers’ week here at Macmillan, it’s a time where we recognise and celebrate all of the amazing volunteers across the organisation. As part of this, in today’s Community news Blog, we are shining a light on our wonderful Volunteer specialists who dedicate their spare time and their expertise to answer your questions in our ‘ Ask an Expert’ sessions. To share a bit more about her experience of being a Volunteer specialist here on the Community is Lorraine, Lorraine is a Psychosexual Nurse Specialist and answers questions in the ‘ Ask about Sex (Men’s cancers)’ session. She is one of our team of 12 specialists working alongside surgeons, dentists, physiotherapists and other professionals to provide information and support to our members. Last year our volunteers answered…

Former Member