Community News - Macmillan Online Community

"So why are pets great? Because without them, I don't know if I'd still be here, and if I were I'd not be as upbeat as I am!" - why pets help us and our wellbeing

This week, we’ve been asking the Community about the benefits of pets. We’ve really enjoyed putting this piece together and it’s clear to see our pets mean so much to us. They can be our most loyal companions, our shoulder to lean on and an ever-lasting source of comfort and love. It’s been so lovely to see all of the responses we received and I’ve no doubt you’ll all love them too. "...the crazy cockapoo welcome I get on my return from work is the perfect antidote from the strains of the most stressful day." 'We had never had a dog before and had always planned to get one when we retired. Retirement plans were sadly brought forward for us upon my husband's diagnosis 4 years ago but we decided to put our retirement plans into action instead of on hold and we found our adorable Milo. Milo…

Ellen - Macmillan
"I have always thought that giving up is not an option, it's more of a stepping stone to what is next" - thoughts from our Community Champion, Mike

Last week on the Community, we spotted this response from Thehighlander , one of our dedicated Community Champions. We couldn’t help but share it, it epitomises the very essence of peer support and that’s what the Community is all about. Enjoy… On the 10th May 1999 I was told that I had a rare type of Skin Lymphoma, so for over 20 years I have lived all the levels of acuity and stress so do understand the 'low' moments a cancer diagnosis brings... what did I do to overcome them? 20 years back I was told that my condition would 'get' me at some point in time, someday, some year but with no calendar... I very quickly come to realise that I could not let my condition define me. A good consultant friend told me very early on in my diagnosis that "all the stress and worry in the world would…

Ellen - Macmillan
"Thank you all so much for sharing your journeys" - thanking all of you, our Community members

We wanted to take some time today to really focus on thanking each and every one of you for the support that you all give on the Community. Below are a few of many examples of the ways that members of the Community provide truly wonderful support to each other every single day in what may be an incredibly difficult time. Why not take a look through? 'You have found this amazing support group and there is always someone here to answer your questions no matter how trivial you may think it is. ...someone somewhere may have been through exactly the same at some point.' - Madesp "...there is always someone here to answer your questions no matter how trivial you may think it is..." 'No matter how much friends and family try to comfort you they will never truly understand how you feel. This…

Ellen - Macmillan
"...One of the best bits of advice given to me, has been to try and take every day as it comes..." (Sukki17) - Wellbeing Wednesdays: November

October seems to have flown by in a flurry of multi-coloured leaves and soggy misty mornings. Here’s our ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ summary to ease us into the beginning of November. So put your feet up and have a scroll through some wonderful wellbeing tips from the Community . "...if the event is in our control we can do it, and if it’s not in our control we can decide how we respond to it.’ ‘The old adage “Life is what you make it” really is very true, because even in trying times we have the option to decide what to do, and if the event is in our control we can do it, and if it’s not in our control we can decide how we respond to it.’ ( Tim90 ) ‘The Japanese have a word wabi-sabi - nothing is ever permanent, perfect or complete.’ () "Don't have expectations of yourself. It’s rubbish…

Former Member
"For now I feel lucky that I have great support around me to face whatever comes my way." - Laura's story for International Brain Tumour Awareness Week

This week (26 th October – 2 nd November) marks International Brain Tumour Awareness Week. To highlight this in today’s Community News Blog Laura is sharing her story about how she coped when she faced a brain tumour diagnosis in 2016. Laura has also been helping support people by sharing her experience of diagnosis on the Brain Tumour Research website. Brain Tumour Research is a national charity which is dedicated to raising funds for scientific research into brain tumours. You can find more information on the fantastic work of Brain Tumour Research here on their website? Laura’s story: Life always throws you curve balls when you least expect it and, in August 2016, I received the devastating news that I had a brain tumour. Eight months earlier I started to not feel like myself as I…

Former Member
'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
" I promised myself to latch on to the simple essence of being alive."- Unseeing the bus: Greg's story #3

We are back today with the third and final part of Greg’s series ‘ Unseeing the Bus’ . Greg has written this 3 part series for the Community News Blog to share his experience of depression after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Greg writes honestly and openly about how he felt during this time. Missed the last two posts in the series? Why not catch up on part one and two now? Unseeing the bus: #3 For part 3, I was going to write, “what bus?” and leave it at that. It might have been funny. And I suppose there is an element of truth in it. "...I no longer see that old, heavy foe hurtling towards me at top speed..." A lot of the time, I no longer see that old, heavy foe hurtling towards me at top speed down the quaint, narrow streets of my mind. Most days I really don’t think about the…

Former Member
"... The wind blows softly, the wind blows swift to carry my doubts and worries away..."- Creativity on the Community

Today on the Community News Blog we are shining a light on all things creative from every corner of the Community. It doesn’t take long when looking through the community to stumble upon something creative, from knitted toys to poetry there are so many ways that members express themselves. Why not take a look through? Creative Arts & Crafts In the ‘ Breast Cancer’ group posted pictures of some wonderful knitted toys she’s made in the ' Crafts and BC' thread. Sticking with an animal theme, here we have 's beautiful quilt made by paper piece quilting. GBear has uploaded her incredible painting of a tiger in the ‘ Express yourself ’ group. Poetry and Writing WhatHappened put her feelings about the Community into a poem in the ‘Breast Cancer’ group. "Mental pain…

Former Member
“That bus, at one point the only thing consuming my vision, was slowly drifting back into the murky grey of the distance…”- Unseeing the Bus: Greg’s story #2

A week after World Mental Health Day on the 10 th of October we’re back with the second part of Greg’s series “Unseeing the bus.” In this three-part series for the Community News blog , Greg shares his experience of mental health in the face of a cancer diagnosis. If you haven’t read part one of the series, you can catch up here . Why not take a minute to read Greg's inspiringly honest account? Unseeing the bus: #2 “Live in the moment because tomorrow you might get hit by a bus......” So I made it back to the bus stop. This time last year I was convinced that I never would. I didn’t know it then, but looking back now, I realise that I was already on my way, tentatively and with a few untimely trips, but nevertheless still making my way back. That bus, at one point the only thing…

Former Member
“This risotto is so easy and takes no time at all to make” - Dining with an Ostomate: Roasted Tomato and Basil Risotto

Today Debbie shares her recipe for a delicious roasted tomato and basil risotto, which sounds wonderfully warming on a cold October day! All of Debbie’s recipes are of course designed with Ostomates in mind, and in case you’d missed any of her recipes to date, you can find them all in our Ileostomy, colostomy and stoma support group here . Enjoy… Roasted Tomato and Basil Risotto - Serves 4, easily halved This risotto is so easy and takes no time at all to make. Use any fresh tomato soup you like. When I had my ileostomy, I didn’t eat tomato pips as I was concerned about blockage, so leave the cherry tomatoes out if you are concerned, or use larger on the vine tomatoes and remove the pips. Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 fat garlic glove, crushed 400g Risotto rice 2 x 600g…

Former Member
"...despair, madness, the darkest if thoughts. They are all temporary." - World Mental Health Day 2019

Today, October 10 th marks World Mental Health Day – a day for global mental health education, awareness, and an advocacy against its social stigma. One of our members who suffered with depression as a result of his diagnosis, Greg, has agreed to share some of his thoughts in a 3-part Community News series entitled ‘Unseeing the bus’. ‘Unseeing the bus’ carries an incredibly positive message for anyone struggling with their mental health. I’ve shared below a few quotes Greg sent me from an earlier diary entry, to show how low Greg felt prior to writing the piece. Our hopes are that for anyone feeling this low right now, that ‘Unseeing the bus’ shows you can “…still come out the other side and feel like yourself again…” (Greg). “I hate hospital. I hate my condition. I hate every single…

Former Member
"...give that extra cuddle and hug to a special person in your life." (MetalMicky) - Wellbeing Wednesdays: October

It’s October already, and with it another ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ summary. So, grab yourself a cuppa, get cosy, and take in some tops tips from the Community for the past month. "A busy mind won't have time to think about other things. This is easier said than done but in time it will get easier" ( Tony Soprano ) “Deep breathing really helped – I needed a psychologist at one point, and he did some breathing with me, and at the end, I honestly felt a calmness in not minding whether this was going to be my last breath or not. It was kind of the notion of letting go of control and noticing the simplicity of the breath and everything around us.” ( Greg777 ) “No one can know how long, or when – so holding on tight and remembering to breath is keeping me going, and knowing that my job is to…

Former Member

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