Community News - Macmillan Online Community

"I think the power of song is massively understated..." - Music and your wellbeing...

Whatever the difficulties you might be facing in life right now, listening to or playing music helps people cope – it’s a way of expressing how we feel, and for many people an accessible way of venting difficult thoughts or emotions. Music can energise us, reduce stress and promote wellbeing – it’s no surprise then that music, your favourite artists and songs are a regular topic of discussion across the Community. Here’s what our members have been saying about music and its benefits... Post Your Favourite Cancer Anthem Here, members have compiled a playlist of songs that have helped them as they’ve faced cancer. “Six years ago, we wondered if we dare look into the future and this song helped us both through chemo at a scary time.” "It's very catchy and it would help to stop the…

Former Member
Diet and cancer on the Community...

Who doesn’t love food? It’s a huge part of our lives – both in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also a social sense – catching up with family and friends, celebratory occasions etc. If you’re healthy, eating the right number of calories and nutrients might not be a problem. However, if you’re receiving treatment for cancer this can be a difficult thing to do – treatment might result in you feeling unwell and unable to eat or digest certain foods. The Community’s a great place to be in the sense that here you can talk to, offer suggestions and support to others who might be struggling with their diet as they go through treatment. I’ve picked a few discussions and highlights from the Community where members have been supporting each other when it comes to diet and cancer. Diet and soya…

Former Member
"As an Ostomate, I am always looking for tasty recipes to add variety to my diet." - Dining with an Ostomate: Carrot and ginger soup

It’s time for another Dining with an Ostomate post. This week Debbie shares with us a TASTY AND SUPER SIMPLE ‘Carrot and ginger soup’ recipe. Here’s Debbie to tell us more about the benefits of carrots and ginger… The benefits of carrot and ginger… As an Ostomate, I am always looking for tasty recipes to add variety to my diet. With summer around the corner, although we’ll soon be thinking about salads rather than warming soup, my next recipe is a soup. It’s quick to make and ideal for those grey cross-season days. "Carrots are tolerated well by Ostomates, and can be included in the diet straight after surgery." Carrots are tolerated well by Ostomates, and can be included in the diet straight after surgery. They are high in vitamin A, beta-carotene, antioxidants and minerals, as well…

Former Member
Dining with an Ostomate - Chicken and squash gratin

It’s time for another Dining with an Ostomate post – this week Debbie shares with us a DELICIOUS AND SIMPLE ‘Chicken and squash gratin’ recipe. It features the immune boosting, vitamin and fibre-packed butternut squash; and chicken breasts for an added protein punch. Enjoy… Chicken and squash gratin Serves 4, easily halved, and freezes well. Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil. 1 onion, finely sliced. 1 leek, roughly sliced. 450g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm pieces. 3 skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips. 50g butter. 50g plain flour. 500ml milk. 100g mascarpone cheese. 2 tsp dried tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh, chopped). 100g ciabatta bread, torn into small pieces. "Immune boosting vitamin and fibre-packed butternut squash..." Method Heat the oil in a…

Former Member
"Indulge in a favourite past-time, watch boxsets, clean the house..." - Wellbeing Wednesdays: May

June’s here, and with it the Great British Summer...there’s still time for it to arrive, it's just over a week ‘til Summer officially begins. Here's something to brighten your day, our favourite wellbeing tips from you, our members, over the past month… “We all deal with this horrible situation in our own ways, but we all do understand. But I think for all of us the term taking life one hour at a time is never truer than in the first few weeks.” Mush brain “I was able to make a list of my worries, get that list down to bullet points and to set aside just a 10-minute period each day for looking at those worries, and the rest of the time just acknowledging them and putting them aside for that time.” KTatHome “Googling is a definite no-no, as that's just guaranteed to turn you into…

Former Member
"...joining this group has given me a safe place to open up..." - Carers Week

It’s Carers Week ! A time to celebrate carers, but also recognise the potential impact of being a carer, and ensure they’re aware of and able to access support available to them. Caring for someone with cancer can be emotionally and physically exhausting – it’s important for carers to take time to look after themselves, and get su pport if it’s needed. To recognise the above, I thought I’d share a few highlights from our Carers only group, where there’s an astounding amount of supportive discussions and guidance been offered up: "Nobody can do this journey for us, but sharing it makes a huge difference." Just a distracting moment – Birdfeeder shares a very heartfelt, positive post, talking about how the group’s helped her, and the friends she’s made along the way. “ Nobody can do this…

Former Member
Dining with an Ostomate - Butternut squash and sage risotto

Debbie, our resident ‘chef to the Ostomates’, is back this month with another tasty and nutritious recipe she’s been making following an ileostomy earlier this year. This week’s recipe is a tasty looking butternut squash and sage risotto. “Squash is easily digested from early on as an Ostomate, and makes a nice change from carrot or parsnip!” Debbie The health benefits of butternut squash are pretty well documented – they’re rich in fibre, vitamins (including A, B, C and E) and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. Just 3 tablespoons will count as one of your 5-a-day. As well as also being good for your immune system and bone health, butternut squash is great for digestion – on account of all that fibre! Butternut squash and sage risotto Serves 4, easily halved Ingredients…

Former Member
"...reading the message has lifted mine and my grandad's hopes." - Bladder Cancer Awareness Month

Off the back of rily’s Bladder Cancer Awareness Month piece last Monday, I thought I’d also throw a spotlight recognising the cancer by highlighting a few positive, helpful and interesting bits and pieces from our Bladder cancer group, as well as a little feedback received for the group. If you’re affected by bladder cancer, go ahead and share your tips of thoughts with us using the comments section below. Discussions: An Introduction – nickfreckle was diagnosed at the start of this year and posted in the group looking for support and guidance. Our members responded with a flood of guidance, sharing their experiences and offering support and comfort as best they could. "Huge thanks and much love to everyone on the site, it's been a lifeline in the dark days, and an inspiration on the…

Former Member
"Everything you say describes how I'm feeling..." - Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May marks Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so to recognise this I thought I’d put the spotlight on our Skin cancer and Melanoma groups, and highlight a few really positive, helpful and interesting discussions that have been going on in the groups. I’ve also put together a few ‘top tips’ that members of these groups have been sharing – but if you’re affected by skin cancer, go ahead and share your tips of thoughts with us in the comments section below. Discussions: "It’s reassuring to see how well skin can potentially heal." One year post-surgery – Sue, known to the Skin cancer group as Ess , had an operation for BCC removal in November 2017 – this included a skin graft. She’s shared several positive photos of her progress and recovery since then. “Your photos give others hope that the skin…

Former Member
"Bladder cancer isn't a rare cancer, even though it's rarely talked about." - Bladder Cancer Awareness Month

t May marks Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, and to recognise this, rily – Community Champion for our Bladder cancer group, has put together a few facts about the cancer, and shared with us his story to date. The below makes for an eye-opening and honest read... Some facts about bladder cancer: 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK every year. There are more than 200 known cancers and bladder cancer is the 5 th most common in the Western World. For men, it’s the 4 th most common in the UK, and 7 th Bladder cancer isn’t a rare cancer, even though it’s rarely talked about. Once regarded as an older person’s disease, we’re seeing more and more younger people being diagnosed. Bladder cancer has the highest recurrence rate of any cancer. It is the most expensive…

Former Member
"...don't immediately start to focus on the worst-case scenario..." - Meet the Champs: latchbrook

Following last month's 'Meet the Champs' Q&A with MikeO , this month we meet latchbrook , who’s been with the Community since early 2017. You'll find latchbrook champing our Melanoma , Skin cancer and Travel insurance groups, and also welcoming newbies to the Community in our New to the Community group, and giving them a ‘nudge’ in the right direction - what a busy Champion she is! How long have you been using the Online Community, and what brought you to the site? I have been an active member of the site since the beginning of 2017, although I had lurked around a bit before feeling confident enough to post. I’d been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in November 2016 completely out of the blue and wanted to find more information about this type of cancer. I didn’t think to look…

Former Member
"We discussed how to talk to the people we love..." - Attending a Death Café...

This week marks Dying Matters Awareness Week , and to recognise this, David – author of our recent Life after cancer piece, is back to share his thoughts on death – in particular, his recent visit to a Death Café – something he describes as being a “remarkable” experience. David’s piece also coincides with Macmillan’s current ‘Let’s Talk About Death’ campaign, which seeks to encourage people to have conversations about death and plans for it. You can find out more on Macmillan's campaign, alonside information and support on making plans, via this page of our website. Enjoy… The doctors, huddled at the end of my hospital bed are muttering, just out of earshot. My sister is staring at me, trying to lock my gaze, as if she is searching for an answer, or a reassurance of some kind. I feel…

Former Member

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