HEALTH NOTES
CANCER PATENTS TURN TO CHARITY
GROWING numbers of cancer patients struggling with anxiety or depression are asking charity workers for help because they feel they can’t ask the overstretched NHS.
Macmillan Cancer Support has seen a surge in helpline callers at “breaking point”.
The charity, which took around 250,000 calls last year, reports a 20% rise among sufferers wanting emotional support for “scanxiety” – related to waiting for results and treatment.
Macmillan Cancer Support chief Lynda Thomas said: “It’s heart-rending so many people call at breaking point after struggling to find support from their healthcare team who we know are run ragged and doing the best they can.” Patients and loved ones can call 0808 808 0000 for free support.
MORE VEGGING OUT FOR JANUARY
MORE than 350,000 people have signed up for Veganuary 2020, smashing last year’s record of 250,000.
Dragon’s Den investor Deborah , right, guitarist Brian May, musician Meat Loaf and actress Rebecca Callard are among the celebrity participants.
Deborah said: “I gave up eating fish a while ago and have been reducing my meat and dairy consumption steadily.
“Veganuary has given me the motivation to go the whole… erm… not hog.”
TV SOAP FOCUSES ON EPILEPSY
A CHARITY has been advising ITV soap Emmerdale on its current epilepsy storyline.
Young Epilepsy hopes the scenes – in which Liv Flaherty (Isobel Steele) has been suffering seizures – will help shine a light on the condition, which affects more than 112,000 children in the UK.
Young Epilepsy helps youths deal with the challenges the condition can bring.
TEAS-ING OUT SOME EXTRA LIFE
PUT the kettle on! Drinking green tea three times a week could help you live longer.
Antioxidants in the drink help protect the heart, according to researchers, who studied more than 100,000 people in China. On average, those who regularly drank green tea lived 1.26 years longer than people who didn’t.