Community News - Macmillan Online Community

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
Hysterectomy support from the Macmillan Online Community forums

A hysterectomy can be hard to deal with physically and emotionally. Our forum members can help you cope through shared hysterectomy experiences. Some members have been talking about total hysterectomy (sometimes known as a simple hysterectomy) where the surgeon removes the womb and cervix. Others are discussing radical hysterectomy where the surgeon also removes the upper part of the vagina, pelvic lymph nodes and tissue surrounding the womb and cervix. Whatever your experience, it can be really helpful to be able to talk to real people who have been through a hysterectomy. How our forum members support each other with hysterectomy When you are facing a hysterectomy and you’re not sure what to expect, you can chat things through here on the Community. Prior to surgery or hospital stay…

Steph - Online Community Team
Waiting for Breast Biopsy Results

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is one of the toughest moments a person can face. Whether it’s you or a loved one, going for a biopsy and waiting for test results can be a nervous and anxious process, as they can potentially affect the rest of your life. About 55,000 women are diagnosed with Breast Cancer in the UK every year. There are also around 390 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. As one of the UK’s most common cancer types, we take a deeper dive around the Breast Cancer forum within the Community and see how other members have reached out for support during a difficult time. What the Community says If you or a loved one have recently had a biopsy for breast cancer and feel worried about the results, you’re not alone. There are a lot of members who post on the Online Community…

Syed - Macmillan
Looking back at the Online Community in 2022

We’re coming to the end of 2022 and as the new year approaches, we wanted to take some time to look back at what’s happened on the Online Community this year. This blog is a short overview of some Community highlights. The Online Community team would firstly like to thank all our members for the kindness and support that you have shown each other this year. There have been over 75,802 posts in our Community groups which shows the tremendous amount of peer support that can be found here. We’ve had lots of new members join our Community in 2022 and the power of peer support grows every day in our Community groups. Connecting with others who share similar experiences can provide comfort and reassurance. There's spaces for loved ones and those living with cancer to find support 24/7. “Coming…

Megan- Online Community Team
Winter Wonderland on the Online Community

Header image: Thehighlander The Winter Picture Festival is held every year here on the Online Community. The festival is to celebrate the season and our members’ creativity. Our members, as always, have shared some amazing photographs with all of us. We’d firstly like to say a big thank you to everyone who shared a picture and helped make the Online Community magical this December. Your pictures have spread a lot of joy and comfort across the Online Community. The Winter Picture Festival is also a great way to highlight how creativity and nature can be great for self care and your mental wellbeing. There was a clear theme in this year’s Winter Picture Festival. This turned out to be the beauty of nature at this time of year. From snowy castles to frosted leaves, Community members took the…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Coping with loneliness over the holidays

Loneliness is something we see members of the Community talk about throughout the year in our Community forums. Feelings of loneliness are often experienced when you have cancer as you may not have told anyone about your diagnosis or told them how you are coping. This time of year can be difficult for many people for lots of reasons and not alone if you’re struggling. Hopefully, this blog will provide some comfort as we’re highlighting conversations from our forums and including support information. “Christmas can be an awful time of year - not just for those of us who have undergone/ getting on with cancer treatments - yet also anyone that feels lonely/ suffering mental problems, etc. It's a very difficult time of year!” Community member, Bowel (colon and rectal) cancer forum “It’s a…

Megan- Online Community Team
Showing your support over the festive season

With the festive season often being a time of giving, we are sharing some guidance for how you can give support online, or in person at this time of year. R ecently there have been discussions about different Christmas gift ideas for someone with cancer, and what to say in a greeting card. We thought we would share a few ideas from these discussions as a guide to help you show support to someone living with cancer this Christmas. Of course, these ideas can be used for other celebrations too. Finding and giving support online There will be lots of celebrations taking place over the next couple of weeks however the holidays are not always an easy time for a lot of people. This time of year can cause a range of emotions for those affected by cancer and Macmillan are here to support you. If…

Megan- Online Community Team
Talking about body image after cancer treatment and improving your self esteem

When cancer or cancer treatment affects your body image, it can change the way you think and feel about yourself. Body image is important as it can be linked to feelings of self-worth. Members of the Community often talk about how the loss of their hair or change of appearance has affected them. In today’s Community News Blog, we will be sharing conversations about body image from around the Community. There is lots of support available and hints and tips to share. Please do have a read through and share with everyone who might need a boost to their self-esteem following cancer treatment. “I finished my chemo just over two weeks ago but feel so down, I think I thought I’m done, now to start feeling better but feel so awful all the time I look in the mirror and don’t recognise myself I…

Steph - Online Community Team
Talking about PIP (Personal Independence Payment) on the Online Community and Macmillan's campaign to 'Pay PIP Now'

On the Online Community, lots of members have been talking about PIP . ‘ PIP ’ is short for Personal Independence Payment , a benefit for people aged 16 to State Pension age. It is for people who have problems with daily living or moving around. Some people with a cancer diagnosis may experience difficulties managing day-to-day with daily living tasks and could be eligible to claim PIP . If you’d like to find out more about PIP and whether you might be able to claim, here's where you can find information about PIP from Macmillan Cancer Support. You might have heard in the media about some people’s difficulties in claiming PIP and delays in PIP payments . Find out more on PIP delays and catch up on Community members’ experiences in this blog. If you’d like to support anyone experiencing…

Steph - Online Community Team