Community News - Macmillan Online Community

'I am told it helps to put all your worries and anxieties onto paper, that way they are out of your head' - My journey through Breast cancer in verse and word - Vol 2

With all the uncertainty of late, we felt it was important for us here on the Community News Blog to keep going as normal where we can. So today we wanted to share with you the second volume of our new series ‘My journey through breast cancer in verse and word’ by Amanda-Jayne. Amanda-Jayne was diagnosed with Breast cancer in June 2019 and used poetry and journaling to diarise her experience throughout. Amanda-Jayne has very kindly sent through her poetry and writing to us here and we are going to be sharing it with you over the next few weeks. If you missed the first volume of Amanda-Jayne’s blog, click here to read it 20th June 2019 First day back at work since diagnosis, everyone was lovely and supportive, gave me flowers and told me to focus on myself not work. Feel very tearful today…

Former Member
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Staying safe and looking after each other

Hi everyone, Blankets, cups of tea and biscuits are in order in this uncertain and perhaps stressful month. Discussions about coronavirus (COVID-19) are everywhere on the news and here in the Community, so we wanted to collate some key tips to help you navigate the coming weeks and to stay safe. The government has issued this advice for those who are particularly vulnerable due to their health. This includes advice for carers, advice on hospital or GP appointments and mental wellbeing. This is being updated regularly and we would recommend checking this on a daily basis if you are worried about taking the right steps to stay safe. Macmillan have also provided some information and answered some key questions around cancer and coronavirus (COVID-19) . Some of us may be experiencing confusion…

Eliza -Online Community Team
'Talking Cancer' - Macmillan's new podcast

In today’s news blog, we hear from Katie who works in our media team here at Macmillan. She’s writing today to tell our Community all about a new podcast, ‘Talking Cancer’, that’s been created with the aims to share experiences and hear from people affected by cancer. Hi everyone! We wanted to be the first to tell you that the first two episodes of ‘Talking Cancer’, the new national Macmillan podcast, are now downloadable on all main podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify Podcasts. Tune in to hear heart-warming, intimate conversations between Radio DJ and Macmillan supporter Emma B and the people living with, or affected by, cancer who have taken the time to share their stories about one of the toughest times of their lives. Emma also has a chat with Macmillan professional…

Ellen - Macmillan
'Love is the greatest gift you can receive and give, it is priceless' (ellie68) - Wellbeing roundup: February

It seems like February has come around at lightning speed, and despite the dramatic weather of the last few weeks there do seem to me small hopeful signs of spring in the air. Today we have put together some amazing wellbeing tips and expressive thoughts that we have collected from the Community. So why not put the kettle on, settle down on the sofa and take a moment to look through our favourite wellbeing tips of the moment? ‘Imagine being in a room where you cannot reach the door, after each session of Chemotherapy that door gets closer, until in the. end you have opened that door and gone out of that room.' - 'My Motto throughout this journey: One step at a time, One Day at a time. Deal with whatever that day throws at you and move on.' - BrandyGirl 'Love is the greatest gift you can…

Former Member
'The outcome is still unknown but I am glad that I don't have to face this ordeal all alone' - My journey through Breast cancer in verse and word - Vol 1

Today we are really pleased to welcome a new guest blogger for the Community News, Amanda-Jayne. Amanda-Jayne was diagnosed with Breast cancer in June 2019 and used poetry and journaling to diarise her experience throughout. Amanda-Jayne has very kindly sent through her poetry and writing to us here and we are going to be sharing it with you over the next few weeks. So, here is volume one of Amanda- Jayne’s journey through breast cancer in verse and word. Amanda-Jayne with her husband Tristan, and parents in law, Sharron and David. Little Tinker Just a little while ago tinker came to stay, Hope she doesn’t get comfy Wish she would go away. She sits there just beneath my skin Knows there’s nothing I can do, 'She can’t hide from the doctors For her they’ll see right…

Former Member
Planned Community 'downtime'

Hi everyone, We’re posting this afternoon to let you know about some planned Community ‘downtime’ which will be happening next Tuesday, 11 th February from 7am-1pm . We are carrying out essential maintenance which will better protect the Community and its users from security risks. We have tried to coordinate this to cause minimum disruption and whilst we are hopeful that the site might be up and running again before the end of the planned downtime, this may not be the case. We’re really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. During this time, if you need support please know that our Support Line is open 8am-8pm on freephone 0808 808 00 00 . You can also chat online to our Information and Support advisers here . If you have any questions, or you’d like to talk to the Community…

Ellen - Macmillan
'Nobody is perfect, but my mum was about as close as it is possible for a human to get' - Benedict's blog

Benedict and his mum at his master’s graduation in 2018. Benedict used to work as part of Macmillan’s Community Team, he got in touch recently to send us a piece he wrote about coping with the grief of losing his mum on Easter Sunday last year. We wanted to share it with you all today, and we want to thank Benedict for writing such an honest, open, and powerful piece of writing for us. I’m not really sure why I’m writing this. Aside from a few tentative forays into journalism during a post-graduate career crisis, and some student essays of questionable quality, I’ve never been much of a wordsmith. But for the best part of 24 years, I do know that I have been somewhat of an introvert; an introvert who on the whole finds it difficult having difficult conversations with real human beings and…

Former Member
‘It’s a great comfort food’- Dining with an Ostomate: Fish pie

Debbie, our wonderful 'chef to ostomates' is back today with a delicious warming Fish Pie recipe, perfect for cold winter nights. All of Debbie’s recipes are, of course, designed with Ostomates in mind and in case you’ve missed any of her recipes to date, you can find them all in our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group. So why not put an apron on and get cooking! 'This Fish Pie is another family favourite and is one that I have used many times over the last year as it’s a great comfort food.' Omit the onions if they upset your stomach. I never use cream, always milk and this has the added benefit that it freezes well. I often divide this into three portions and freeze two in foil containers. I usually defrost them before reheating for 30 minutes but you can reheat from frozen,…

Former Member
'Please don't' - by Cordelia

Cordelia, our guest blogger from earlier this week, is back today with a poem she wrote about coping with people’s comments around her breast cancer diagnosis. Want to catch up on Cordelia’s previous blog? Click here to read her story. Please don’t… Please don’t tell me how I should feel Or what I should think about having breast cancer; How I should be ‘over it’ by now; How I should be more positive; How I should be grateful that I’m alive. And please don’t say, ‘You’re over-reacting to your situation, It’s only you who feels like this’ or ‘It’s time you got on with your life.’ How can you know? You have never been in my situation. And please don’t ask me what I have contributed to my cancer Or tell me how brave I’ve been. There was no choice is all. It was just…

Ellen - Macmillan
‘I was astounded to find that many others were feeling as I was’ – The problem of cancer’s long term effects - by Cordelia

Today on the Community News Blog we are really pleased to have Cordelia as one of our first guest bloggers of 2020. Cordelia is a counselling Psychologist who has written about the long-term effects of cancer and she has put together a piece for us today about her own experiences after her bilateral breast cancer diagnosis in 2004. Why not take a moment to read through Cordelia’s story? ‘I wonder how many others can relate to my story below? I was diagnosed twice with bilateral breast cancer in 2004 but misdiagnosed first time round, so two diagnoses that same year. The cancer was a Stage 2 treatable cancer, though the first one was strongly HER 2, so very aggressive, but the tumours were very small, with no spread to lymph nodes or organs. I had two surgeries, two radiotherapies, each…

Former Member
'I do find it helps to go outside and just breathe in the fresh air for a minute or two' - (Denby) Wellbeing roundup: January

January can be a bit of an odd month, both full of the promise of a new year and a fresh start but also a time where the mornings and evenings are dark, the weather chilly and the routines of the pre-holiday season hard to settle back into. To help us all through the next few weeks, we have put together some amazing wellbeing tips and expressive thoughts that we have collected from the Community. So why not put the kettle on, settle down on the sofa and take a moment to look through our favourite wellbeing tips of the moment? 'I do find it helps to go outside and just breathe in the fresh air for a minute or two - especially when tearful.' - Denby 'Never give up! Look at all the options open to you and use the wonderful NHS and Macmillan staff for advice and support.' – 'I do know that…

Former Member
'I am struck not only by the quality of the information but by the depth of care that people who post show. It’s humanity at its best.' – A word from our CEO Lynda

We are thrilled to announce that kicking off 2020’s guest blogs, we have our very own Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, Lynda. Lynda is a huge advocate of the Community and the amazing support you all provide every day. The beginning of a New Year can bring many thoughts and feelings, some very difficult and some more hopeful but it can be a really good time to look forward over the coming days, weeks or even months and really take time to focus on what is most important to you. Whether that is spending more time with friends and family, taking time out to make sure you are giving yourself a proper rest, or maybe booking that appointment you have been putting off. Lynda’s piece today focuses on the importance of seeking medical guidance even when it can feel extremely daunting. Sometimes…

Former Member

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