Marie Curie offers help at Christmas

CHRISTMAS is a time for celebrating and spending quality time with the people you love. However, it can be a difficult time of year if you’re living with terminal illness or if you’re caring for a loved one with a terminal illness.

More than one million people in the UK are expected to be caring for someone with a terminal illness this Christmas, during what could be their last one together.

Many of your readers in this situation will find themselves struggling to cope with the demands and pressures of the festive season, and they may not know who or where to turn to for extra support.

The Marie Curie Information and Support Line (0800 090 2309) is here to help. Your readers can call the free, confidential line and speak to a Marie Curie Nurse if they have any health questions or concerns. This could be about any aspect of terminal illness from understanding a diagnosis to explaining treatments and discussing symptoms.

Our trained Support Line Officers can also provide practical information and emotional support, such as advice about day-today care or where to find financial support, as well as offer help with bereavement. Our team is also here if people just need someone to talk to; we know it can be difficult to open-up to friends and family for fear of upsetting or worrying them, so we can provide that safe space to talk.

If your readers have been affected by terminal illness and need support over Christmas and New Year, then please urge them to contact Marie Curie for free: 0800 090 2309.

Alternatively, our readers can also chat to us online at mariecurie. org.uk/support.

Marie Curie Information and Support Line Christmas opening hours:

23 December (8am - 6pm)

24 December (10am - 4pm)

25 & 26 December (10am - 2pm)

27 December (8am - 6pm)

28 December (11am - 5pm)

29 December (closed) 30 December (8am - 6pm)

31 December (10am - 4pm)

1 January (10am - 2pm)

Morven Masterton Head of Information and Support Marie Curie