Cancer patients feeling isolated urged to seek support

Cancer patients are being urged not to suffer in silence as concerns grow over the impact of loneliness during the Covid pandemic.
Brendan McKiernan with his nephew LorcanBrendan McKiernan with his nephew Lorcan
Brendan McKiernan with his nephew Lorcan

Following new research that reveals more than a quarter of a million people with cancer in the UK feel they have no one to talk to about their worries, a leading cancer charity is encouraging those affected to contact its support services to get the emotional support they need.

One of those who contacted the Macmillan Cancer Support Line to share his experience was 26-year-old Brendan McKiernan from Belfast.

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Brendan has been treated and is continuing to recover following a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

He received a stem-cell transplant in October 2019, and was only three weeks out of a 100-day self-isolatation period to aid his recovery when the first lockdown was announced.

Brendan has been extremely open about the impact of Covid and cancer on his emotional health and wants to help others in a similar situation.

“I live with my parents and we had three weeks of some kind of normality after my 100-day milestone and just before lockdown. Then, I was back in complete isolation again. It felt as though I’d gone backwards instead of forwards,” he said.

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“I’d spent 16 weeks in hospital for chemotherapy, returned for more radiotherapy and chemotherapy, then came the transplant and the isolation that followed.

“A cancer diagnosis and treatment is difficult enough – the pandemic just added another layer of stress and anxiety. The things that were helping me like seeing my friends, taking small steps at the gym, and even getting out for walks with my local Move More group, all of that stopped.

“Being told that you’re vulnerable is hard to deal with. My sleep was affected. My motivation disappeared. I just knew deep down that I needed to talk to a professional. Macmillan had been there for my family and I at different stages of my treatment so when I opened up to my brother about how I was feeling, he reminded me about the Support Line number and I picked up the phone.

“Thanks to Macmillan I had talking therapy sessions and worked through a lot of my feelings and fears. I got the help I needed and I just want to encourage others like me to call the Support Line too. These are difficult times but there is so much help available. Although we’re all still dealing with the impact of the pandemic, I’m in a much better place now.”

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Paula Kealey, strategic partnership manager at Macmillan in Northern Ireland, said: “We are so grateful to Brendan for sharing his story – it’s never been more important for people across NI to know about the help that’s available.

“Our information and support services are hearing from distressed patients and relatives every day and the deep sense of anxiety and isolation they are feeling at the moment is heart-breaking.

“Many people don’t realise that we have cancer information nurse specialists and other specialist advisors ready to help them on our Support Line and online community. Collectively we have a huge amount of knowledge, from benefits and advice about cancer and work, through to information about diagnosis and treatment.”

Ms Kealey added: “Macmillan has long played a vital role in the health service – we will continue to do whatever it takes to support people with cancer and the health service as it continues to struggle against the pandemic and ongoing winter pressures.

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“For anyone with questions about cancer, whether you’re worried about signs or symptoms or how to prepare for your next appointment, please give our support line a call. Please don’t think you have to go through this alone – we are here to help.”

Anyone in need of information, advice or support about cancer can speak to specially trained nurses and other advisors on the seven-day-a-week Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 (8am-8pm).

Additional emotional support is available through the charity’s ‘Telephone Buddies’ scheme – an eight-week support system for people with cancer who may be isolated from loved ones. Peer-to-peer support is available 24 hours a day on its online community, an online forum with over 90,000 members.

Macmillan is also reminding anyone worried about cancer symptoms to contact their GP as an absolute priority.

The latest guidance on coronavirus for people with cancer is also available on the charity’s online Covid-19 hub.

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