Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Cervical cancer Prevention week

This week is Cervical cancer prevention week. We wanted to share some information and resources to help answer many of the questions asked here on the Community. Please remember that you are welcome to post in our Ask a Nurse section or contact the Macmillan Support Line if you need some additional guidance. Very early stage Cervical cancer may not cause any symptoms. It is usually found and treated because of Cervical screening tests. What are the symptoms of Cervical cancer and when should you get tested? It’s good to know the potential symptoms of cervical cancer. Whilst many of them can be symptoms of other conditions it is important that we speak to our GP with any of the following; Heavier periods that you normally would have Vaginal bleeding between periods, after sex or…

Megan- Online Community Team
World Cancer Day - The Online Community is here for everyone

Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February 2025 we are highlighting the support shared on the Online Community. As the number of people with cancer is rising, Macmillan are challenging the inequalities in cancer care. We know that many people's cancer experience can be more difficult because of who they are, or where they live. Our Online Community is here for everyone, whoever you may be, or wherever you live. By asking the questions and sharing your experience, you all take a part in supporting others. Together, we can make sure no one has to go through cancer alone. Members of the Co mmunity are here to tell you how the Community has helped them and welcome you to join them in the forums. "You’re definitely NOT alone here. A few months ago, I was on this forum at all hours of the day…

Steph - Online Community Team
Respecting everyone on the Online Community

Cancer can often seem to be linked to your gender. It can be easy to make assumptions that only women get womb cancer, or only men get prostate cancer. When chatting to others on the Online Community, sometimes it might feel easy to presume who someone is due to their or their loved one’s diagnosis. Anna, Macmillan’s LGBT+ Network Lead, is here to talk about why it’s important not to make assumptions when talking to others online, and how this can help our Community cancer forum to be a welcoming space for everyone. Within this blog, we are talking about gender and biological sex being different. Your biological sex is what people are assigned at birth, and gender is what people identify themselves as. For lots of people, this is the same. However, it’s not the same for everyone. We hope…

Eliza -Online Community Team
“This place has been my sanity”: finding mental health support through cancer

“This place has been my sanity, a place where I feel understood and accepted.” Community member, Bereaved partners and spouses forum There are moments when cancer feels overwhelming. The worry can be constant, and it can feel like no one quite understands what you are going through. Living with cancer, or supporting someone who is, can bring uncertainty, isolation, and emotional strain. That’s why Mental Health Awareness Week is an important moment to pause and talk about it. In this blog, we share some conversations from the Online Community and highlight where you can find support. Finding support through shared experience In the Breast Cancer forum , one member reached out as they were struggling with their mental health. Other members replied with kindness and shared their own…

Dylan - Online Community Team
Talking about adjuvant and neo-adjuvant cancer treatments on the Online Community

Members of the Community have been talking about adjuvant therapies . Adjuvant therapy can mean different things, depending on your type of cancer and cancer treatment . In addition to your primary treatment , your cancer doctor may recommend you have other treatments. This is often called adjuvant therapy and aims to reduce the risk of recurrence . Your cancer doctor or nurse will explain the treatment options , benefits and likely side effects to you. You can also talk things through here on the Community, with people going through similar treatment. Our members can’t give you medical advice, but through shared experiences you may feel more supported. Many members are talking about and asking questions about their adjuvant therapy, usually a course of treatment following the main cancer…

Steph - Online Community Team
March: Brain Tumour Awareness Month

It's Brain Tumour Awareness month in March, so in this Community News Blog, we'll be highlighting related content in the Community and signposting to useful resources. We know it can be hard to know where to turn when you or a loved one has been diagnosed, so we hope you'll find some useful pointers in this blog. According to our information and support pages, there are many different types of brain tumour. They are often named after the cell they develop from or the part of the brain they start in. You can read more about the different kinds of brain tumours on Macmillan's information and support pages here. In the Community, we have several groups where you can find support if you or a loved one are diagnosed with a brain tumour. Our primary brain cancer group is for anyone affected by…

Steph - Online Community Team
Living with cancer and coping with stigmas- Kiwi and Indravadan's story

Kiwi and his father, Indravadan, talk in their mother tongue, Gujarati, about Kiwi's chronic myeloid leukaemia diagnosis, how the family responded, and some of the stigmas still prominent in their community. This video is part of Macmillan’s mother tongue project. (4 minutes and 9 seconds). We hope to feature different lived experiences here on the Online Community to represent different ethnic cultures and communities so that nobody feels they are facing cancer alone. Please see an English transcript written below. There are also English subtitles available when watching the video. For additional support information in other languages, scroll to the end of this blog page. Kiwi: Within our Community, depression and mental health are not spoken about, leading to a lack of understanding…

Megan- Online Community Team
Secondary cancer support from the Online Community - "I have found this forum so helpful and feel the support out there so thank you all"

Secondary cancer is one way of describing cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. We have lots of members in the Community who have been diagnosed with a secondary cancer or are supporting loved ones with a secondary cancer. Other members might feel concerned about secondary cancers throughout their cancer experience. The Community works as an online cancer support group and provides an opportunity for you to virtually connect with others in similar circumstances. You might like some support from someone who understands what you’re going through, or you might be looking for hints around how to talk to someone who has been recently diagnosed. Some members benefit from shared tips on how to occupy your mind when waiting for results, or how to manage side effects from cancer treatment…

Steph - Online Community Team
“Grief comes in waves”: Coping with the loss of a partner

Many Community News readers may have followed Wee Mee ’s story. Community Champion Wee Me has written several articles about her experiences as a carer for her husband , who was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumour in September 2020. In today’s blog, Wee Me is sharing a very personal look at her experience and thoughts about loss and bereavement. “I have chosen to view life over the past nine months since G peacefully passed away as a time to heal rather than a time to grieve.” It’s been a while since I last wrote a Community blog. The topic for this one has been on my mind for a while but I couldn’t find the right words to articulate my thoughts. As many of you know, I supported my late husband G through the three years of his Glioblastoma journey. Any cancer journey is tough…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Cancer & me 35 years on - International Women's day

Today marks international women’s day, a day where we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is also a day to highlight women’s issues and rally for gender equality. Here at Macmillan we are dedicated to supporting anyone who has been affected by cancer and champion for better cancer support for all. Hearing and listening to the experiences of everyone is vital in doing this. In honour of International Women’s day, we are pleased to bring you a special edition of Willo’s blog series ‘Cancer & me 35 years on’. Willo, an artist who was diagnosed with Anal cancer in 1986 while living in Zambia, has been sharing her experience of life post diagnosis in her blog series with us. After reading today’s blog, in which Willo talks about finding confidence…

Former Member
Bringing the Community together - virtual coffee morning

September is the hallmark month for Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. This year is the 35th year anniversary of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning which continues to make a difference to support everyone affected by cancer. 35 years of coming together to raise vital funds so Macmillan can be there to support people when they need us the most. It’s also 35 years of bringing people together to talk about cancer. Whilst coffee mornings are a great way to fundraise, it’s also a good opportunity to raise awareness and share personal cancer experiences. The Online Community brings the cancer community together every day. Our forums provide peer to peer support all day and all night helping you navigate the emotional and practical challenges cancer can bring. "Thank you to everyone…

Megan- Online Community Team
New Dates for 2026 - Local Cancer Community Meet-ups

It's 2026 and we're back with all-new dates for your diary! If you're in Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester, Prestatyn, Preston, Rochester, Washington, or Watford... we're delighted to announce even more opportunities to make new friends face-to-face. These in-person events intend to build supportive communities of people local to the areas they're hosted in. To avoid confusing them with our Online Community, we refer to these events as 'Local Cancer Community Meet-ups' in this blog. 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. The Private Messaging system is a safer way to discuss specific meet-up plans with friends on the forum. Please see our guide to Private Messages and Friends…

Matthew - Online Community Team