Aftercare

Good afternoon Zolou,

Thank you for getting in touch and welcome to our online community. I hope you find it supportive. I’m Helen, one of the cancer information nurse specialists here on the Macmillan support line.

I’m sorry to read your friend has recently had surgery to remove her cancer. It’s understandable you’re concerned about how she’s currently managing day to day activities around the house.

After surgery, depending on the type of cancer, where it was removed from, and the type of surgery she had, recovery times and being able to carry out daily tasks around the house can vary from person to person.

There are things she can do to help with her recovery and ways of improving her wellbeing and lifestyle which will help both physically and mentally in the longer term.

If she’s had any complications following her surgery, such as wound healing, an infection or pain, this can potentially delay recovery and have an impact on how well she’s managing at home. If she is experiencing any problems such as these, it’s important she contact her cancer team or her GP as soon as possible for medical advice.

Her GP and cancer team can also discuss which services are available to her in the community. There are different healthcare professionals who can support her after leaving hospital if she needs equipment, help with domestic tasks or personal care.

This NHS guide has helpful information on care and support people can get for free. There’s also NHS information on how to get help at home from a paid carer.

Depending on your friends age and where she lives, there may be other services she can access through organisations such as Age UK.

If you’re supporting your friend and helping to care for her, there are ways of getting support as a carer. We understand the challenges supporting a friend through cancer and treatment can bring. It’s important to try to take care of yourself too and reach out to us if you’re feeling any emotional effects of supporting your friend.

It may be helpful to have a conversation with us to talk through the current situation. You and your friend would be welcome to call us. By talking things through we can often gain a better understanding of what’s happening and give you the best guidance.

I hope this information is helpful but if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.

Best wishes,

Helen, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us. 

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