How Macmillan Cancer Support Centre is still reaching out to support people
PEOPLE are being urged to stay at home due to government restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus - but that doesn’t mean that vital services have stopped helping people.
The Macmillan Cancer Support Centre, based at University Hospital Coventry in Walsgrave, is temporarily closed to visitors due to the pandemic.
But the challenges facing us as a society right now don’t mean that people aren’t still facing unrelated health issues.
So, the determined team have found ways to safely continue to support people affected by cancer whilst respecting social distancing.
Some of the solutions they have come up with are remote working, and using telephone appointments to continue to offer many of their services.
The Macmillan
Support Centre team in Coventry are offering remote counselling, psychological support and benefits advice by appointment using telephone. You can also email the team to ask questions if you need more information about your cancer or treatment.
Anyone affected by cancer in Coventry can contact the Macmillan Cancer Support Centre team on 02476 966 052. The team are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm.
Comprehensive information and support, including Macmillan’s latest guidance and advice on the impact of coronavirus on cancer care, is available at www.macmillan.org.uk. The charity’s online community continues to provide invaluable emotional and peer support. The Macmillan Support Line is open Monday Friday between 9am-5pm on 0808 808 00 00. Julie Bliss, the Macmillan Cancer
Support Centre Manager, said: “We may be closed for face-to-face discussions, but we remain committed to supporting people living with cancer across Coventry at this difficult time.
“People living with cancer, their family and their carers are already living with day-to-day challenges and the current situation only makes the situation more difficult. If you need help, we are only a phone call away. Please do not hesitate to contact us.”
The Macmillan Cancer Support Centre was originally funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and is run by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. The centre supports anyone affected by cancer living in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Rebecca Wherrell, Macmillan Partnership manager, added: “The fact that the staff at the Macmillan Cancer Support Centre have quickly adapted to the situation and put plans in place to continue providing this service during such an unprecedented situation highlights their extraordinary dedication to supporting people living with cancer.”
We may be closed for face-to-face discussions, but we remain committed to supporting people living with cancer