With centres in Lincoln, Grantham and Boston, these services are here to support people living with cancer and their loved ones.
Anyone can contact the centres, and our staff and trained volunteers are available to talk through issues and concerns. You don’t need a referral from a doctor or another health professional. The centres are safe places to come and talk to us to help you navigate the impacts of having a cancer or caring for someone who has a cancer. We provide information on all topics related to cancer, relevant at any stage of the diagnosis. We can also offer advice and signpost you to other services that can help with financial support, emotional wellbeing, relationships, travel advice and much more. We know and understand what you or your family and friends may be going through and we have supported many people through these difficulties. Health and social care colleagues can also contact us for information about how to best support their patients.
Through my work, I meet many people affected by cancer, and one key thing they often mention is that being able to talk to others in a similar situation has helped them tremendously during treatment or while living with cancer. In Lincolnshire, we offer a number of support groups that our Macmillan staff and volunteers can signpost you to. We also run courses for people affected by cancer.
The HOPE Programme is a six-week course offering practical and emotional support to help rebuild life after cancer. In March and April, I will be delivering two courses with the Wellbeing and Recovery College, which provides free educational courses focused on mental health and wellbeing.
“Cancer – How Are You?” will help explore feelings after receiving a cancer diagnosis and provide a safe space to manage mental health. We also have a course specifically for carers supporting someone close who has a cancer diagnosis. It is important that carers look after themselves, and “Cancer – A Carer’s Perspective” was developed in partnership with carers.
To find more information about the Macmillan centres, support groups and the courses we run, please visit: www.ulh.nhs.uk/services/macmillan or call us on 01522 573799.