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Kathy Blythe, Macmillan Development Manager, with Lynne Mclean from the British Red Cross and service user Tracey Longmuir
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The British Red Cross and Macmillan Cancer Support have
teamed up to support people with cancer, their carers and families living at
home in Lincolnshire.
Thanks to funding from Macmillan, the service, which already
operates in Grantham, Sleaford, Stamford, Bourne, Market Deeping and Crowland
is being extended to reach people living in Lincoln, Market Rasen and
Gainsborough.
Red Cross volunteers make regular visits or phone calls to
patients living at home to provide practical help, as well as offering
companionship and emotional support. The service was officially launched yesterday at Lincoln City FC.
Kathy Blythe, Macmillan Development Manager in Lincolnshire, said:
“Having been a very successful pilot scheme, it made perfect sense to develop
this into a fully-fledged service. Initially, the focus was purely on people
who were terminally ill with cancer but it has now been extended to anyone
affected by the disease and will operate over a greater area.
“Macmillan Cancer Support is delighted to be working with the British Red
Cross to provide this excellent service, offering valuable support to people
affected by cancer in Lincolnshire.”
Red Cross senior service manager for health and social care,
Lynne Mclean said: “Our volunteers lend a listening ear at a difficult time, as
well as taking pressure off families and carers by doing some of the practical
tasks like shopping or collecting prescriptions. That extra bit of support can
make a huge difference to someone living with cancer, helping them to continue
living independently in their own home.”
Since the start of the year the service has helped over 180
people and their families across south Lincolnshire. This includes thirty nine year old
single mum, Tracey Longmuir from Corby Glen near Grantham, who was diagnosed
with mouth cancer just days after Christmas last year.
Tracey, who runs her own successful pet care business,
visited the doctors after on-going pain in her tongue suddenly worsened. “One
night I woke up in agony. I checked my symptoms online then went straight to
the doctors that morning. I’m not a drinker or a smoker and I’m a woman under
40, so I thought ‘don’t be daft’” she recalls.
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Tracey Longmuir
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She was referred to Peterborough Hospital who confirmed that
she had mouth cancer and needed an operation. “When the doctor told me, I held
it together in the room. It was only when I left that I literally fell to the
floor like a sack of spuds. I was crying uncontrollably but my friend picked me
up and took me into a side room. That was where I first met a Macmillan nurse.
She helped calm me down and talked to me about the treatment I would receive.”
In February, she had a complex,
twelve hour operation to remove a large tumour from her tongue. She was
discharged just nine days later, desperate to get home to be with her two year
old son, Conor. Although the operation had been a success she still needed a
six week course of radiotherapy.
Her mum moved in to help care for her and Conor while she
recovered. Although she was grateful for the support of family and friends, she
sometimes found it hard to open up about how she was feeling.
“When you’re poorly, everyone who loves you wants you to
feel better. You don’t want to tell them how bad you really feel” she says.
“You want to protect them and keep a brave face.”
She called a local support group where
she spoke to a lady who had recovered from larynx cancer, who then contacted
the Macmillan and British Red Cross support in the home service. Project worker
Lynn Robinson rang Tracey shortly after.
Volunteers started making regular
visits, helping Tracey with practical things like walking the dog or preparing meals,
as well as simply sitting with her to have a cup of tea and a chat.
“You feel so much better after talking to the volunteers”
Tracey says. “By saying it out loud you’re almost self-counselling yourself.
“It’s a massive confidence boost
knowing that someone is there if you need them” she continues. “I’ve always
been very independent, but at the time I felt isolated so they helped me feel
more connected.”
Volunteers, who all live locally,
helped her process information she had been given at the hospital to access the
right support. Tracey explains: “There’s so much stuff to read, you don’t know
where to start. The service helps as they tell you the information you need to
know so you know what support is out there.”
Red Cross project worker Lynn Robinson was one of the team
of people visiting Tracey. “She’s been to hell and back, but she is growing in
confidence” Lynn says. “Just talking to people, popping round or picking the
phone up – it makes such a difference.
“A lot of our job is listening, but also hearing” she
continues. “When people are diagnosed with cancer there’s so much to process. Our
role is to listen to what the person really wants and needs to move forward,
then try to find practical ways and give emotional support to help them do
that.”
Tracey’s mum Caryl also benefitted from the support. The
visits gave her some respite as well as someone to talk to.
“We want to alleviate pressure on carers, so that they can
take some time for themselves” Lynn adds. “Our support can be particularly
important for families and carers after bereavement. Suddenly the house is
empty and they are on their own so support for a partner or carer in the weeks
after bereavement is just as vital.”
Thankfully, Tracey has now been given the all clear however
she is still coming to terms with what she has been through. To aid this
recovery, a Macmillan nurse has arranged some specialist
counselling.
“The past nine months have been a whirlwind” Tracey says. “Being
diagnosed with cancer has completely and utterly changed everything, but
amongst all the turmoil, to have someone say ‘don’t worry, I’ll look after that’
has been phenomenal.
“Without the support from the volunteers I don’t think I’d
have got through it.”
If you think you or a family
member could benefit from the service, or are interested in volunteering, call
0845 054 7171 or email firstcall@redcross.org.uk.
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