Hi,
my dad has suspected thyroid cancer and he has been offered a telephone appointment following a biopsy with the general surgery team under the thyroid specialists. Is there instances where cancer diagnosis shared via telephone?
I have tried to raise that my dad has Parkinson’s and had a stroke this year which has impacted his ability to process information, but this seems to have gone unnoticed and the telephone appointment is going ahead.
I’m really worried it is going to be bad news.
Hi oliviacait and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
I don't know if thyroid consultants give out diagnoses via telephone appointments or not. As you know, the online community is divided up into different support groups so can I recommend that you join the thyroid cancer group and post your question there as the members of that group will then be able to share their experiences of receiving their diagnosis with you.
To join just click on the link I've created which will take you directly there. You can then join and start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
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"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi oliviacait and I see it's your first post so welcome to the Online Community but so sorry to hear about your dad.
In 'normal' circumstances bad news is normally given at an in person appointment..... but we recognise that these are not 'normal' times in the NHS.
I would advise you to try and contact the hospital/clinic and talk this through. If you can't get through to the clinic you need to be with your dad when this call comes in, you need to answer the call and be able to listen in to the conversation.
A cancer diagnosis in the family can be such a challenging and stressful time but I do hope you will find the Community a safe place to get support and to ask your questions.
The Community is divided into support groups (discussion rooms) so can I recommend you join and post in our supportive Thyroid cancer support group. This is a safe place to talk to others who may have a similar diagnosis and treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from family members who are navigating the same journey.
If you'd like to connect in with a group click on the Green (Bold) link I have created above. Once the group page opens click on the black banner that says [click to join] at the bottom, or the [Join] button under "Group tools."
You can then introduce yourself by putting up a ‘new post’ by clicking in the box near the top right with + New or + (Depending on the device you are using) and you are ready to go. You could copy and paste the text from this post into your new post.
When it comes to the practical and emotional challenges of supporting family you may also benefit from joining our general Family and friends and Carers only support groups where you will connect with others navigating the same support challenges.
The Macmillan Support Line is open from 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00 where you can talk with someone about specific cancer and practical information, get emotional support, benefits/financial guidance or just connect with a listening ear. We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow a few working days for a reply.
Please do get back to me if you need further help.
