What you think of joining Macmillan

Hi there

I think joining this community has been one of the most important things I have done to help myself cope with cancer. I was diagnosed five years ago and now live with incurable cancer. I have found friendship, support and love here. The people in this community have given me comfort in my darkest times, shared my best times and given me great information based on their experiences too. 

The Community is organised into groups so you can connect with people who have similar experiences. There are groups for people diagnosed with different types of cancer as well as different experiences. You can look at the different groups here: 

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/groups/

Click on a group, join and start a discussion. It also helps if you fill in your profile. 

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/members/

I do hope you will find what you’re looking for 

Hi and a second welcome to the Online Community.

It depends on what you are looking to get from the Community.

If its cancer information then this link takes you to our Online Information and Support Section is a good place to find some great pages covering the cancer diagnosis, treatment and information pages covering most types of cancers.

If its to talk with people then these links take you to our support groups that are Cancer specific or general Cancer experience.

If you want to join any of the groups follow the links and join the groups by hitting the ‘Join the Group’ tab just under the main group name. At this point go to the right on the group home page and select how you want to receive email notifications when someone answers your posts.

The best way to get support is to go to the 'Start a Discussion' tab just under the main group name. Set up your own Discussion and Introduce yourself.

If its some expert advice we also have our ‘Ask an Expert’ section where you can post questions to our mostly Volunteer Experts but please allow 2 working days to get a reply.

This is what our group members say:

"i just wanted to say a huge thanks to you all on this forum who gave me advice and encouragement getting me through those months of treatment. For being able to reach out to you and read the experiences of others I am so thankful"

"Your post is truly positive and very kind. You are so right we have to live the life we’ve been given as best we can. Perseverance that is the power word - I will take that word and keep it at the forefront of my mind. Thank you - sometimes it needs another person to show you that you’re looking at something from the wrong angle - maybe there is room in my life for ‘firsts’ rather than ‘lasts’ despite how difficult it may be"

"This forum has kept me sane through some long days and dark nights and I am so grateful to each and every one of you for all your love and support, and wish you all the very best in your own journeys. You’re amazing!!"

"I was so desperate to talk to people going through something similar – when I found this site. I have found it easier talking through this site than talking face-to-face with people…I just feel I am not on my own here…I believe talking through this site unites us…"

"Thank you so much for your kind words and advice..I am glad I found this site as I feel I will have the support and understanding from people who have been through, or are going through, the same"

welcome to the Online Community.

The online community on here has definitely made it easier for me while receiving treatment. There has always been someone to offer support or advice. On days i have felt low and struggling there has always been someone to help put a smile back on my face.

I think talking to people who get you helps.

Hi , I pressed the join button back in 2015 when I was diagnosed with incurable metastatic melanoma. It was several months before I felt I could post myself but reading how others on here supported each other helped how I felt.

I found the information and support sections on line really good especially concerning coping with your emotions and talking to others.  

The hospital I go to has a Macmillan booth, when I’ve popped in there for a chat or some booklets they have been really helpful and supportive, both when I had a recurrence and when I was clear after treatment and needed to try and move forward. It was a booklet on life after treatment that started me doing walking Netball 2 years ago that really has kept me going when I had to go back on to treatment and getting me more fit to help my immune system and mood. 

A Macmillan nurse at my hospital has helped talk to my surgeon for me to get more information before an operation, it was easier to explain my concerns to her and for her to get the surgeon to understand where I was coming from. In the end it was a Macmillan surgeon who did a laparoscopic procedure for me.

I have had help from the support line when I was called for Jury service and needed to talk through if I felt well enough to do it or how I might go about getting excused.

A Macmillan financial adviser visited my house when I was first diagnosed and not well and helped go through benefits I might be entitled to and completed forms for me.

The local Macmillan bus has visited my town and had information on a local support group they thought might help me, they do a park run every month so I went to watch.

Macmillan approached me about volunteering as a community champion and volunteering has brought a new purpose to me to help others get the best out of the site, and to signpost them to places to look, or to hopefully answer with my own experience to show people that they are not alone in their thoughts of uncertainty or experiences. 

There are lots of parts of Macmillan that have helped me, including me helping me. On the community you don’t have to do a discussion you can start a blog, a sort of diary of how cancer has affected you. I’ve used that when I didn’t want answers, I didn’t want people telling me it will be alright, but I just needed to get thoughts out of my head. When I read those thoughts back things seemed a bit clearer, a chance to regroup and get a bit more positive about things. 

Perhaps you could help us to help you by telling us what has brought you here, and what you feel you’re needing.

Best wishes