Community News - Macmillan Online Community

Mealtimes during the festive season

During the festive period, there can be lots of celebrations and parties, including plans to see family and friends. This can often involve eating. When you’re dealing with symptoms and side effects of cancer treatment, eating at mealtimes may look different than it did before. Everyone is different and we understand that for some people, you may feel uncomfortable about mealtimes and special occasions with loved ones. Below there are twists on traditional favourites and some suggestions of how to still take part in the celebrations at the dinner table. If you’re looking for some cooking and eating inspiration, this blog is the one for you. “I think it’s important to set some rules about the festive season. If you feel an occasion will be too much for you consider going later when people…

Megan- Online Community Team
What does the festive season mean to you?

As the holiday season is in full swing, we know that this time of year can look different for different families. The traditions and customs that you follow can vastly differ from the ways others spend time with loved ones. The varying pressures and expectations at this time of year can lead to a mix of emotions for people affected by cancer. However you like to celebrate or honour tradition in your family during the holiday period, the Online Community is here as a source of cancer support. In today’s Community News Blog, we are talking about managing the festive period. We will be looking at the different ways people cope with difficult emotions at a time when others are often celebrating, or at least seem to be. Cancer support during the festive period Cancer can have a large impact at…

Tom C - Macmillan
November catch-up from the Community - 'This forum is a lifeline and keeps me sane'

As we move into December, it’s time to take a look at what’s been happening on the Community throughout November and share some of the valuable support you’ve been offering each other. We’ve welcomed 1,828 new members to the Community in November. Although we are sorry that circumstances have brought you here, we wish a very warm welcome to each and everyone of you. We hope that you find the site to be a safe place of comfort and support. 'This forum is a lifeline and keeps me sane, thanks to every contributor as they have all helped on the journey. Now 2 years on and things are much better...' - Community member, breast cancer forum We know that the Community can be a lifeline for some members. The Community team will do all we can to ensure we’re here for everyone who needs us. We…

Steph - Online Community Team
The recurring fear of recurrence

"Whatever your prognosis, whatever your hopes, whatever your personality, the second that you know that you have cancer your life changes irrevocably." It seems to be a common experience that once cancer treatment finishes, the anxieties and fears around recurrence become heightened. We regularly see conversations about recurrence, or worries of recurrence, on the community and how much this can impact your wellbeing and mental health. It’s natural to worry about cancer coming back, and it’s something that our Community members support each other with here on the site. "The fear of recurrence is troubling me, I realise whole heartedly I’m so lucky and I’m trying to be positive but I don’t want to ignore the impact of the treatment had on my well-being." Community member "I feel worse…

Ellen - Macmillan
November is lung cancer awareness month - 'we're all here to support each other'

November is Lung Cancer Awareness month. When you or your loved one has lung cancer, it's important you can find the right emotional support. In this Community News blog, we'll be highlighting the support shared in the Community's lung cancer forum and sharing some other ways you can find help. The Online Community's lung cancer forum is an online support group. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and you can find support from people who understand. Because they've been there themselves. You might be looking for tips to help you get the best from your cancer nurse and healthcare team or ideas around coping with side effects and improving quality of life. You might just need to talk. Whatever support you're looking for, the lung cancer forum is here for you. “We are all here to support…

Steph - Online Community Team
Has your speech or voice changed after a cancer diagnosis or cancer treatment?

November is Mouth Cancer Action Month , an awareness month organised by the Oral Health Foundation. In today’s blog around mouth cancer, we’re talking about speech and voice changes. Speech changes can depend on where your cancer is, and the type of treatment you have. Speech and voice changes don’t only affect people with mouth cancer. You may also experience changes if you have laryngeal cancer or oesophageal cancer, amongst other diagnoses. For some people, speech changes are temporary, and their speech or voice returns to normal after their treatment. For others, some treatments can cause permanent changes to the way they speak. If you’ve been affected by speech or voice changes in any way, the Online Community is here for you. Talking about what you are going through can be an important…

Eliza -Online Community Team
Pancreatic cancer awareness and support information

Have you or someone you love been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer? If so, then this blog will be useful for you to read. We’re sharing support information and highlighting some of the conversations members of the Community have had recently. November is Pancreatic Cancer awareness month, so we’d like to take some time to show you that the Online Community is here to support you every day of the year. Even if you’re not affected by Pancreatic cancer, you may be interested to hear how members of the Community support each other. What is Pancreatic cancer? The video below (02:21 minutes) is an abdominal surgeon name Charles, talking about Pancreatic cancer. If you need more information and guidance around symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options for pancreatic cancer, please visit the…

Megan- Online Community Team
Cancer & Me 35 Years On – ‘against all odds we can survive’

Willo is back today with the final Instalment of her blog series, ‘Cancer and me 35 years on’. Willo is a member of our Community who was diagnosed with Anal cancer in 1986 while living in Zambia. In this blog series Willo has been sharing her experience of living through and beyond cancer. Alongside sharing everything she has been through, Willo has also been sharing the amazing artwork she created during this time in her life. We shared Willo's first blog, ‘ To begin at the beginning ’ back In May 2020, and over the last 18 months, Willo has talked about everything she has been through. From moving back to England for treatment, her Abdominoperineal Resection , going back to art school post-surgery and the amazing friends and family that helped her through. When Willo first started her…

Former Member
Introducing Community badges!

Introducing our new Community badges! We are really excited to be able to share with you today a new feature on the online Community, our Community badges. Our Community badges are not only a new way for our members to quickly identify the Community team, and our Community Champions, but also a way to celebrate you and the amazing support you provide each and every day on the Community. We have three badges which we are going to be launching, and we wanted to tell you more about each of these badges below. Staff badge This badge is for Macmillan’s Community team. The Community team are Macmillan staff that are dedicated to running the Community. The Community team are available 7 days a week and are here to support you. This badge will only be given to members of Macmillan’s Community…

Former Member
Are you feeling better, or just distracted?

For people affected by cancer, managing your mental well-being is an ongoing challenge. Distraction can play a useful part in that. Distraction can mean different things to different people, talk of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ distractions can be confusing for those just looking to take a break from worry or stress. The last year and a half with coronavirus has made it even more challenging for cancer patients, and their family and friends, to find effective distractions. In today’s Community News Blog, we’re talking about distractions, be they ‘good’ or ‘bad’. 'Good' Distractions We wanted to start by sharing a poem by one of our members, Bluebell Woods . TV. Day time. Quiz shows, news, Real Deals. Breakfast TV, loose woman? Maybe not at that stage, yet. Granny. Blankets. Graduating to a hat. Nothing…

Tom C - Macmillan
Cancer and fatigue. When do you start feeling less tired?

In our recent Community News Blog 'Awake and can't sleep? Some help with getting through the night' we addressed the issue of difficulty sleeping. We shared conversations from members around the Community around sleeplessness and getting support through the night. If this might be helpful to you, you can catch up with Eliza's blog here. You don't need to be experiencing difficulty sleeping to feel tired when you have cancer. Cancer itself and cancer treatment can both cause extreme tiredness, also known as 'fatigue'. We know that many of you come to the Community looking for support with managing your energy levels and improving your quality of life. In this Community News Blog, we'll be sharing some conversations, tips and support about fatigue shared around the site. Fatigue means feeling…

Steph - Online Community Team
Awake and can't sleep? Some help with getting through the night

Difficulty sleeping, also known as insomnia, can be hard to deal with. If you or a loved one has a cancer diagnosis, not getting enough sleep can sometimes cause additional difficulties. The Online Community is here for you at any time in the day or night. Sleep problems may be caused by how you’re feeling emotionally, or as part of the side effects for cancer treatment. If you find it hard to have a good sleep, you’re not alone. Here in Community News, we’re here to help you find support. Macmillan has information and support around insomnia and having difficulty sleeping on our website . This webpage discusses different sleep problems, how a lack of good sleep can affect you and how you can change your sleep habits to potentially help you to sleep better. “I think night times are often…

Eliza -Online Community Team

Awake and up all night?

We know that cancer can sometimes cause sleepless nights. Join our Cancer Chat forum for some company here in the 'Awake and up all night' thread.

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