Living with and beyond cancer

More people than ever are living with and beyond cancer. It is now widely recognised that living a good quality of life following a cancer diagnosis is as important to people as survival.

We are working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to help improve the experience of people living with and beyond cancer.

Contact the Living With and Beyond Cancer team

Northern services

Seamoor Unit , North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple Devon  EX31 4JB

Tel: 01271 335934 or 01271 349117

Email: ndht.lwbc@nhs.net

Eastern services

Maria Bracey
Living With and Beyond Cancer Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist

Tel: 01392 406577
Email: maria.bracey@nhs.net            

Supporting you

Having cancer can have an impact on every aspect of your life and on those around you. We understand that this is a difficult and often frightening time for you and your loved ones, which is why we have put together a wide range of information to help you live with and beyond cancer.

Some of these services are available locally, whilst others cover Devon and/or the South West Peninsula as a whole. 

Find out more

Personalised care, reviews and assessments

Personalised Care and Support Planning (PCSP) helps people living with cancer to take an active and empowered role in the way their care is planned and delivered, with interventions and care tailored around the things that matter most to them.

This includes Holistic Needs Assessments - these can help you identify and address the needs and concerns of people living with cancer to develop a Personalised Care and Support Plan.

Find out more on the Macmillian website:

Personalised Care

Holistic Needs Assessment

End of Care summary

Care reviews

 

Have you been invited to a cancer information event?

Cancer information events (sometimes called Health and Wellbeing Events or Cancer Information Support Clinics) are designed to help people affected by cancer and their family and friends get the support they need during and after cancer treatment.

These events can be specific to your cancer or can be open to people with any cancer diagnosis.

Health and wellbeing events provide information and support on:

  • Benefits and other financial support
  • Diet and lifestyle
  • Long-term side-effects of treatment
  • Local services.

Evidence has shown that patients who attended a health and wellbeing event have:

  • Better knowledge of the signs and symptoms of cancer recurrence and consequences of treatment.
  • More confidence to question or challenge information and make informed decisions about their health.
  • More confidence to deal with the physical discomfort and emotional distress associated with cancer and its treatment.
  • A strong sense of reassurance – even if the services are not needed at that time, they know what’s available and how to access them in the future.

If you haven’t been given an invite to a cancer information event and would like to find out more then please speak to your CNS, a member of healthcare staff within Cancer Services, or ask at the Fern Centre.

Supported self-management

Self-management means being involved in managing your own health. This is important when you have an illness like cancer that can affect your life for many years. Self-management can help you to know what support is available when you are at home. It can improve your quality of life and help you feel more in control.

Self-management is about:

  • understanding what is most important to you
  • knowing what you can do about it
  • finding out what other help is available and how to get it.

How can self-management help me?

Self-management can help you when you are first told you have cancer, during your treatment and after the treatment is finished. Being involved in your care can help you:

  • feel more in control of your life.
  • understand your condition and how it can affect your life
  • know when you need help and who to get it from
  • make positive changes to improve your health
  • adjust to life after treatment
  • manage any side effects of treatment
  • know about possible signs that the cancer has come back

This may be the first time you have been told about self-management. You may not feel very confident managing your healthcare and may want some support and help.

Self-management helps you work with your healthcare team. Together you can decide what you need and what will help you. This will help you manage your health. You can ask your doctor or Cancer Nurse Specialist about self-management if they have not talked to you about it.

For more information what to do when treatment ends, please see follow the link for 10 Top Tips from Macmillan Cancer Support

Staying healthy advice and support

After a cancer diagnosis, many people find that following a healthy, balanced diet and staying active helps give them back a sense of control.

Macmillan has some handy guidance for eating well and staying active including useful videos, top tips and leaflets. Find out more

Quick links

Videos

 

 

Eat well online support group

Free group sessions with an oncologist dietician covering how you can eat well during cancer and tailored advice on what you can eat to help you with some of the side-effects you might be experiencing. You will also receive a digital pack of resources to take away. For more information on how to join visit the World Cancer Research Fund website

Free remote exercise service

SafeFit is a free remote service for anyone in the UK with suspicion of or confirmed cancer diagnosis of cancer. It is a collaboration of many agencies, including Macmillan and the NHS, and more information can be found by clicking on the link to the Macmillan website

Mindfulness

Many people find practising mindfulness helps them manage their day-to-day wellbeing, but it doesn’t always work for everyone. For further information on how mindfulness can help you and ways to practice it please visit mind.org.uk

Sun safety

For more information please visit NHS Choices to find out about SPF and star ratings on suncreams.

Keep an eye out for changes to your skin. Changes to check for include:

  • A new mole,growth or lump
  • Any moles, freckles or patches of skin that change in size, shape or colour

Report these to your doctor as soon as possible. Skin cancer is much easier to treat if it is found early.

Cancercaremap.org

Cancercaremap.org is an online directory that helps people find cancer care and support services in their local area. People with cancer, their friends and family can either search for a service or can browse the types of services available.


https://www.cancercaremap.org/

Events and virtual support

Coronavirus update:

During these difficult circumstances we know that our services supporting people with cancer are needed even more than ever.

We are doing everything we can to make sure that support continues to be available during this difficult time and to signpost you to the services that are available, both directly through the hospital, but also with our partners including Macmillan Cancer Support.

Many of these services are new, so your feedback about how easy they are to access and how useful you find them would be very welcome and will help to shape and improve these services.

We will continue to update this page according to what is available. Please see the information below and visit the Fern Centre website for more information about the support that is available to you.

Face to face events: currently on hold due to Covid-19.

Macmillan Virtual self-supported management programme (Helping Overcome Problems Effectively)  for people living with cancer

The programme is six weeks long, with each weekly sessions taking approximately  2 hours to complete at any time which is convenient to you. You can do the course on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Topics covered will include: • smarter goal setting • priorities and values • living positively with fears for the future • character strengths • physical activity • eating well • managing stress • coping with fatigue • finding things to be thankful for

To find out more and to register or to be added to the waiting list please visit the website below:

https://coventryhls.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bIXGI1ADihkwTAN

Cancer specialist exercise support (SafeFit)

SafeFit is a new and free remote service for anyone in the UK with suspicion of or confirmed diagnosis of cancer. Cancer exercise specialists can offer you advice, support and resources to maintain and improve physical and mental well-being. It has been developed as a collaboration between Macmillan Cancer Support, the CanRehab Trust and other partners.

For more information and to complete the self-referral form please see the link below:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/physical-help/safefit

Macmillan telephone buddy service

A free telephone buddy service is available for you. The service will match you with someone who understands what you’re going through, and they’ll give you a weekly call. Your volunteer buddy will be a listening ear, ready to talk about how you’re feeling and your support needs during this difficult time. For more information and to sign up, please see the link below:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/emotional-help/telephone-buddies

Look Good Feel Better Virtual Workshops

At Look Good Feel Better are providing virtual confidence boosting Workshops to reach out to people living with cancer in their own homes.

Through interactive video technology, the service will bring together groups of 8-10 people online to give them the Look Good Feel Better experience.  The sessions are fun and informative and will be led by beauty trained professionals. They give people the chance to learn lots of new techniques to, chat to others and ask all the questions normally asked at one of our Workshops but from the comfort of your own home. For more information and to register your interest please see the link below:

https://www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk/support-advice/virtual-workshops/

Macmillan support line

The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones

This service is available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm on 0808 808 00 00.

There is also an online chat and email service. For more information about the services available please see the link below:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/emotional-help/macmillan-support-line

Patient Support

We have a number of leaflets to help you find information related to physical, practical, emotional, family, and spiritual concerns.

 

Find out more

Last updated: November 15, 2022.