Community News - Macmillan Online Community

"...putting on make-up and knowing I look good gives me a boost..." - Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors

The visible side effects of cancer treatment can arguably have a huge impact on a life. It can change how your body looks, works or feels, and really impact on a patient's confidence. Patient.info editorial assistant, Milly Evans recently put together a post for the Patient.info website entitled How to manage the visible side effects of cancer treatment . In it she talks to one of our Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors , Natasha, offers some top tips on how to feel more like yourself as you face cancer.. Here's Milly's piece... Cancer and cancer treatment not only have an impact on your physical well-being but also change your appearance and skin. Some are able to embrace these changes whilst others can struggle with confidence and feeling themselves. Lost identity... For Anita Brown…

Megan- Online Community Team
Allan’s story- living with oesophageal cancer and a feeding tube

Allan lives with his best friend in Eastbourne and shares his personal experience with Oesophageal cancer in this blog. He now has a feeding tube and is passionate about helping others who may also need similar treatment. In 2016 my right leg became blocked, and I couldn’t walk for long. After various visits to the hospital, it was decided for me to have a Femur Tibia Bypass. My leg was blocked from the groin to the ankle. I had 90 staples fitted and was left with a scar all down my leg. In 2018, lung cancer was found in my right lung, and then I was diagnosed with cancer of the Oesophagus in the same year. Regarding my cancer of the Oesophagus, I had trouble swallowing and had a massive bleed in the stomach. I attended the hospital on various occasions during 2017 & 2018 which led me to…

Megan- Online Community Team
LGBT+ History Month - How can you get involved?

This LGBT+ History Month, we first want to acknowledge that it’s not enough to have one month to highlight, listen to and learn from LGBT+ people and their experiences. Here on the Online Community, we aim to provide a place to for everyone affected by cancer to find support 365 days a year. We want to do everything we can to ensure the Online Community is as helpful and supportive a place as possible. Macmillan’s “Emerging Picture” report acknowledges how the needs and experiences of LGBT+ people affected by cancer can be very different. It highlights how LGBT+ people who are diagnosed with cancer can have poorer patient experiences. The report also explains how it can be difficult for LGBT+ people to find accurate and tailored information and support. For example, the NHS released information…

Eliza -Online Community Team
“Your help is tremendously appreciated” - a big thank you to Macmillan nurses and professionals

"We are still here for you.  Your treatments will still continue in the safest way that we can deliver them.  Your nurses, doctors and therapists are still working to provide you with the best standard of care.  We may talk to you over the phone now instead of bringing you in for appointments, but that telephone conversation is still focused around you.  Please contact your Nurse Specialist or medical team if you are worried – we are still here to talk to you and will support you in whatever way we can."    Alison, Lead Cancer Nurse We want to thank our Macmillan professionals every day for all their hard work supporting as many people affected by cancer as they can, but we think it’s best coming from you. In the current time, it’s more important than ever to show all medical professionals…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Dealing with Change

The emotional effects of dealing with change and cancer are something that is often talked about by our members. “This is so hard and I get frustrated with all the conflicting emotions, whether the changes I'm making are right or wrong and if Nic would approve of what I'm doing. I have a lot of support from friends and family, but am feeling very lost at the moment and can't say this to anybody apart from you lovely people on this site as only you truly understand what it's like.” - Community member, bereaved spouses and partner forum. “Feeling very emotional about it all, it’s all flooding back, not even sure I have whilst accepted what’s happed to me in the past 12 months, mixed bag of feelings tonight and not quite sure what to do with myself.” - Community member, Breast cancer forum…

Tom C - Online Community team
Here's to you, our Community members.

Our recent Community news blogs ‘ Being a partner and carer, how cancer affects relationships ’ and ‘ Let’s talk about cancer and sex ’ open up the discussion of how cancer can impact your personal relationships and sex life. There’s another important relationship that we’d like to feature in today’s blog. That relationship is between you, and the other Community members. The Community is here all hours of the day to listen, to care and to help. Everyday there’s so much kindness offered in the discussion threads and it’s warming to see you come together to be a friendly voice at the end of an emotional post. Being a reassuring friend to another member is a really kind thing to do. We’d like to take some time to highlight how much your kindness means to those you support. “There is no…

Megan- Online Community Team
'My husband reassured me that I was more of a woman for finding the bravery and strength to face my fate head on...' - Understanding BRCA by Clarissa

'The emotional journey of coming to a decision to undergo risk-reducing surgery.' By Clarissa. As many of you may be aware October marks Breast cancer awareness month. This is a month of raising awareness and funds for a variety of breast cancer charities that provide lifesaving research and support to people affected by breast cancer. As the month draws to a close, we are pleased to have as a guest blogger in today's Community news, Clarissa, author of ‘ Understanding BRCA .’ Clarissa carries the BRCA2 gene and has written a blog for us today about her experience of making the decision to undergo risk- reducing surgery. Why not take a moment to read through Clarissa’s story? Clarissa, author of 'Understanding BRCA' After learning that I carried a harmful BRCA2 gene mutation…

Former Member
Staying in the present at Christmas: how I coped with each 'last time'

This blog was originally published in December 2022. It has been updated by the original author to include their most recent experiences. When a loved one has an incurable cancer diagnosis, it can be hard to avoid thinking about what events might be 'the last time'. The last holiday season. The last birthday. The last anniversary. Macmillan and the Online Community are both here to help you through what may be the hardest days and weeks of the year. Wee Me’s husband was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumour in September 2020. She has previously shared her experience as a carer and family member on Community News. In today’s blog, Wee Me is talking about how she’s learned to navigate and cope with those potential 'last times'. “My husband’s initial prognosis in September 2020 was…

Matthew - Online Community Team
Looking back at the Online Community during February

Let’s take a look at what happened on the Online Community during February. Today’s blog is a roundup of the discussions, blogs and questions posted last month. If you’re new to the Community or just want to catch up with what’s been happening on the site, this blog has all the information you need. There’s been a lot for everyone to process recently with the coronavirus restrictions being lifted in some parts of the UK and other recent events being reported in the news. This is going to add to any anxious and worried feelings you may already be coping with, so it’s important that you have access to support when you need it. The Community is a safe space for people to talk about how they are coping, and speak to those who understand what they’re going through. Here are some of the conversations…

Megan- Online Community Team
Humour - It's no joke

How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice. Hi, I’m Syed, a member of the Community Team and today, I would like to draw your attention to something the opening remarks didn’t. Humour. It’s almost a taboo subject that poses the question: 'can humour be used as a coping mechanism if you’re affected by cancer?' I want to leave a short disclaimer that this blog may not be for everyone as it will highlight an alternate coping mechanism through humour. For those who regularly use humour to cope, and for those who are curious as to how anyone would see the funny side with a diagnosis, I hope you find this blog helpful. Here on the Community, we have our own Laughter is the best medicine forum . You may have spotted me liking your content on this forum. Alongside the jokes scratching…

Syed - Macmillan
I forgot to be ME

Lindsay, known to much of our Community as Leolady56 , has been an avid member and Community Champion for a couple of years now. Just a couple of months ago I discovered that outside of the Community Lindsay’s involved in a fair few rather interesting hobbies – something you’ll shortly read about further. In addition, she’s also the founder of the ever popular Walking back to Happiness thread, where members share their walks, or any outside excursions they might’ve recently been on with the group. Given this, I thought it good idea to ask Lindsay about her hobbies, and how they helped her cope with cancer. The response? These hobbies reminded Lindsay to be herself. You are all going to have to forgive me for a few sentences.......You see the; ‘I forgot to be ME’ started a long time ago. …

Former Member
Cancer & me 35 years on - Vol 10 'A Chance encounter'

We are back today with a further instalment of Willo's blog series 'Cancer & me 35 years on.' Willo is a member of our Community who was diagnosed with Anal cancer in 1986 while living in Zambia and has been sharing her experience of life post diagnosis, as well as her amazing artwork, in her blog series with us. So far Willo has covered her experience of moving back to England for treatment, her Brachytherapy and Abdominoperineal Resection and the amazing friends and family that helped her through. In today’s blog we pick back up with Willo on the day of her interview for a course in Fine art at a university in Liverpool. Throughout her series Willo has written about all aspects of her life after diagnosis, helping us to remember that life after cancer and moving forwards from treatment…

Former Member