Hello I am new and I have just found out that my mother has pancreatic cancer. I struggle with mental health quite badly and I’m so scared, I’m not sure what to do.
Hi Flowergirl29 and a very warm welcome to the group.
I'm sorry to read that your mother has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that you're struggling with your mental health. Do you have support with your mental health from any any health professionals? If so, please give them a call so that you can arrange additional help.
This group is great for asking any questions about your mother's cancer and treatment but you might also like to join the carers only group, if you're your mother's carer, or the family and friends group if you're not her carer. Both of these groups are safe and supportive places to discuss your worries and emotions.
If you'd like to join one of these groups, just click on the link I've created and, once you've joined, you can start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
When you feel up to it, it would be great if you could put something about your mother's diagnosis and any proposed treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi Flowergirl29
My name is Steph, I'm part of the team who look after the Online Community here at Macmillan. I hope that you are finding it helpful to find support from people who know what it's like to receive a cancer diagnosis. We're all here to support you, whenever you need it.
It's positive that you have also joined the family and friends forum, as you can connect with more people supporting a loved one with cancer. Whenever you're ready, we'd encourage you to introduce yourself there so that members can offer you some further support.
As latchbrook suggested, please do talk to your GP or another health professional about your mental health, so you know that you have some professional support in place. Macmillan have some advice around coping with your feelings when someone has cancer that might be helpful to have a read through.
If you'd like to find out more about your mother's cancer, please do ensure that you are finding information from trusted sources. Macmillan has information about pancreatic cancer here.
We'd also encourage you to reach out to our Support Line. We're here if you have questions for an expert, or just want to talk things through with someone who is here to listen. Our Support Line teams are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm on freephone 0808 808 00 00, email or live webchat.
We have some more information here to help support you when your loved one has cancer.
I hope you find the support you’re looking for. Please do let us know if you have any questions or need further support with anything at all. I hope the Community helps to show you that you don’t have to go through this alone.
Please do keep chatting here in the forums, we're here for as long as you need us.
Kindest Regards,
Steph - Online Community Officer
