Photo: Lillian John spoke to Tenovus Cancer Care nurses throughout her treatment
We could not keep the Support Line open without the generous donations from our supporters so once again we’d like to thank Radio 4 listeners for their kindness.
Tenovus Cancer Care would like to thank Radio 4 listeners for generously donating £7,153.23 to our appeal, helping us to continue to offer our nurse-led Support Line. Our cancer support line is open 365 days a year and last year handled more than 11,000 calls from people affected by cancer. We don’t just wait for the phone to ring; we also call people during key stages of their treatment to check how they’re doing.
People like Lillian John, who used our Support Line after finishing her treatment for a second diagnosis of breast cancer. We know holidays such as Christmas can be very difficult for patients and that’s why Tenovus Cancer Care is committed to having nurses available every day of the year to answer any questions people might have.
“Coming up to Christmas I wasn’t coping very well with my mental health,” said Lillian. “I remember having all sorts of thoughts and anxieties. During my treatment I had lost friends to breast cancer and felt a guilt that I was here for Christmas and they weren’t. It’s a stressful time of year for anyone and I wasn’t feeling up to it both mentally and physically. “I spoke with Elaine, a Tenovus Cancer Care Support Line nurse who made me feel more positive and reassured me that what I was feeling was normal. I’m not the kind of person to pick up the phone and ask for help so it’s wonderful that someone cares enough to call and ask how I’m doing. I was quite emotional when I had my last phone call earlier this year but I feel confident that I can call Elaine and Tenovus Cancer Care anytime I feel like I need some help and support.”
You can find out more about Tenovus Cancer Care