Hiya,
just wondering what sort of level support we should be receiving from Macmillan? Husband is stage 4 oesophageal cancer and all we have received is a booklet, email and phone numbers, (that we have contacted but its days before we get an answer ) if this is the norm that's fine.
Hi suzy,
Thank you for getting in touch with us and welcome to our online community. My name is Adrienne and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists at Macmillan.
On the Macmillan support line we offer confidential support to anyone living with cancer and their loved ones. This can be email support, webchat or calling us on the support line to talk about the cancer itself, treatment, managing side-effects or for emotional support. We have fantastic money advisers who can provide guidance on accessing benefits/financial support that may be available as well as our online community where people can receive peer support from people going through a similar situation to themselves. It might be worth looking at our oesophageal cancer forum and our carers only forum.
The support line is separate to the NHS hospital Macmillan teams and community teams and we don’t have access to medical records. If your husband doesn’t have a hospital Macmillan nurse (also known as a clinical nurse specialist and not always Macmillan badged), then it would definitely be worth asking his consultant about this. Alternatively, if your husband and yourself would like support from the community palliative care nurses, who are there for anyone living with a life limiting illness and not just for end of life, then he can ask his GP to refer him to the team.
Please know that the support line is open from 8am to 8pm every day and you can call us any time. Although we can only talk in general terms rather than specifics about your husbands care, it might help to give us a call to talk things through and it gives you the opportunity to ask any questions that may arise.
I hope this is helpful.
Take care and best wishes,
Adrienne
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
REF: AMc/FH
