Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Peer support on the Online Community – the year so far

As we move into Spring it’s a good time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going. Sharing some of the amazing emotional support and kindness you have been offering to others. We’ll also look at some of the changes we’ve made. The Online Community team would like to thank you for making the Community what it is, offering kindness and support to each other. We currently have over 68,000 members and over 7,100 have join this year so far. You have posted over 45,000 messages of hope, support and encouragement already this year. Your words offer so much when others may be feeling lonely or scared. People find a lot of care and support when going through a cancer treatment. Family members and friends can also find a lot of support when helping their loved ones through cancer. Here…

Su - Macmillan
Finding human connections and support: Rubina’s story

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel lonely and isolating. But you don’t have to feel alone. There’s lots of support available for you, although you may not know at first where to find it. We’re here to help here on the Online Community. Every month, we share a person from Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling project here on the Online Community. Today, we’re featuring Rubina. Rubina was diagnosed with bowel cancer. It took a long time for Rubina to receive a diagnosis, she felt her primary care did not fully investigate her concerns. By the time Rubina was diagnosed, her cancer was already advanced. Rubina felt very disappointed, angry and frustrated as there was no compassion or empathy from her medical professionals when she needed it the most. She couldn’t share her feelings as she didn…

Eliza -Online Community Team
World Poetry Day: Holly’s Cancer Poems (Part 1)

Today is World Poetry Day, where we’re taking this opportunity to share Holly’s poems. Here on the Online Community, it’s clear how much being creative can help. Poetry can be a way to cope, a fun distraction and sometimes even a form of art therapy. Members in our “Express yourself” group and across the Online Community enjoy writing and sharing poems. Holly was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2005. Holly has shared her experience through poems, written at different points of her experience with cancer. In today’s blog, Holly shares her emotions, thoughts and worries from her initial breast cancer diagnosis. We’re sharing 4 poems from Holly’s poetry collection, titled “Holly’s cancer poems…The truth behind my smile.” Holly also describes what was happening and how she was feeling…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Our 6 tips to manage the NHS if you're struggling - help from Macmillan and the Online Community

Lots of people are worried about pressures on cancer care within the NHS. We know that waiting for results and worries about delayed cancer treatment might affect your general health and wellbeing. Ellen Lang, Clinical Information Manager on the Macmillan Support Line, said: “Every day we’re receiving heart-breaking calls from people with cancer who don’t know where else to turn. They’re frightened about their health, distressed about the rising cost of living and, despite the very best efforts of NHS staff, they're really struggling to access the care and treatment they need. We’ll always be at the end of the phone for people living with cancer, for whatever they need to ask; our helpline is open 8am-8pm 365 days a year for anyone who needs practical, emotional or financial cancer support…

Steph - Online Community Team
Catching up with the ‘Supporting someone with incurable cancer forum’

When a loved one has incurable cancer, it is natural to feel a range of emotions and need some additional support. Our Supporting someone with incurable cancer forum is a safe space for you to talk about the practical and emotional needs you have, alongside connecting with others in a similar situation. If you are looking for some additional support, or want to catch up with the recent activity in the group, this blog will be a helpful source of information. An incurable prognosis can come as a shock and take time to process. During this difficult time, members post about the mixed emotions they feel when coming to terms with their loved one’s diagnosis. You’re not alone if you are struggling, there’s a friendly support network of people coming together to offer a listening ear and guidance…

Megan- Online Community Team
Online Community downtime: Thursday 9th March 2023- 7am to 9am

There is some planned maintenance taking place on Macmillan’s website on Thursday 9th March from 7am-9am. So that this essential maintenance can take place, the Online Community will experience some downtime. This means that members will not be able to log in, or join the Online Community, between 7 am - 9am On Thursday 9th March . We know how important the Community is as a source of support for our members, so we always do our best to ensure the site is not unavailable for any longer than necessary. Please know that while the site is down, although you will not be able to create an account, log into the site or post, you will still be able to view the Community and read posts and discussions for support. We understand that this may impact members who rely on the Online Community for…

Megan- Online Community Team
How do you prepare to hear the news? Getting the results with member Wee Me

Whether you have been personally diagnosed or you are supporting a loved one, waiting for and getting results can be difficult. It can be hard to know how you might feel if you receive news you didn’t want or didn’t expect. You might know Community member and Macmillan volunteer Wee Me from our “Carers only” group or “Glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour” group . You might also know her from all her blogs here on Community News. Wee Me’s husband was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma brain tumour in September 2020. Following on from her blog in March 2022 for Brain Cancer Awareness Month, Wee Me is here today to talk about hearing the news. She shares her experience of going to appointments, looking at scans and hearing her husband’s results. “Point to the picture of the blue pencil under the…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Oesophageal cancer: Michael’s story

Getting a cancer diagnosis and going through treatment can change a lot. This experience might change how you feel about yourself, alongside how you feel physically and emotionally. Everyone’s experience of cancer can be different. But it can be comforting to know someone else might know how you feel. Someone else here on the Community might have gone through what you’re experiencing. Every month, we share a person from Macmillan’s Digital Storytelling project here on the Online Community. Today, we’re featuring Michael who has shared his experience of oesophageal cancer. Michael is here on the Online Community as Jamesp. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, there’s kindness and understanding on the Online Community. You might find it helpful to look at our…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Relationships, sex and cancer - support from Macmillan's Online Community

Lots of people are celebrating Valentine’s Day today as February 14th marks a day of celebrating love around the world. In this Community News blog we will be exploring how cancer might affect love and intimate relationships. Whether you have been together for a long time, in a new relationship or considering dating, there is support available for you. Some people find it helps to talk to other people who are in a similar situation. Members of the Community have been supporting one another with experiences of cancer, love and relationships. When you or your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, it can be a lot to cope with. "It is like living in an alternate reality. Life is going on and we have to carry on and function as if everything is normal but at the same time we are dealing…

Steph - Online Community Team
Cancer and the Menopause: watch our Instagram Live with the Titty Gritty

Whether it's early menopause due to treatment, or going through menopause whilst living with cancer, menopause and cancer is something we often see being discussed on the Community. From hot flushes to mood swings, brain fog and fatigue, our members have been sharing their experiences and offering tips and support to one another. To help raise awareness and break down taboos surrounding the menopause, this Friday, 3rd February ahead of World Cancer Day on 4th February, Macmillan’s National Clinical Adviser Dr Hannah Tharmalingam will take part in an Instagram Live event with cancer campaigner and broadcast journalist Helen Addis. Known to her followers on Instagram as @thetittygritty , Helen is dedicated to raising awareness around cancer, following her own experience of breast cancer. …

Ellen - Macmillan
Are you worried about hair loss? Hair loss support from Macmillan’s Community forums

We recently shared Ellie's story as part of the digital storytelling project. Ellie shares her concerns about her kidney diagnosis and hair loss. Today's blog is sharing support information if you are also worried about losing your hair. Hair loss can be a side effect of your cancer treatment and often causes a range of emotions. Your hair can often form part of your identity so it's natural that losing your hair is causing some concern. Our Community members regularly share experiences and tips for coping with hair loss. In this blog, we are highlighting conversations about hair loss from different Community forums and sharing support information. Hair loss support from our forums You’re not alone if you’re worried about losing your hair. It's also natural to have questions and concerns…

Megan- Online Community Team
Coping with hair loss after a kidney cancer diagnosis: Ellie’s story

For lots of people, worrying about side effects can have a big impact when you’ve had a cancer diagnosis. Ellie was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015. As part of the Digital Storytelling Project, Ellie has shared her experiences as a poem. Ellie talks about her experience getting diagnosed, and her worry around hair loss. Like Ellie, lots of members here on the Community share how they’re feeling about diagnosis, side effects and hair loss. If you’ve been diagnosed with kidney cancer, you might find support and comfort in our “Kidney cancer” forum . This is a safe place to find support and talk to other people affected by cancer. Ellie has shared her story as a video. Ellie describes her video below: “My kidney cancer journey – about trusting my instincts; the good times, bad times…

Eliza -Online Community Team