We are going online but will still be there!
THE Southport and Formby Cancer Information and Support Centre, based in Southport, is going virtual – with a whole month of supportive events at the touch of a button.
The radical rethink of how we present our Health and Wellbeing events means we can still bring together a range of service providers from health, social, community and voluntary sectors.
The main aims are:
To provide information and advice relating to health and wellbeing.
To signpost those attending to local resources and services including local and national charities, both clinical and non-clinical
To facilitate interaction with other people affected by cancer.
The virtual events will replace the Health and Wellbeing Event that we usually hold at this time – due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Health and Wellbeing Event is a service model that takes the form of a supportive event to help prepare people affected by cancer, their carers, and their family and friends for the transition through their cancer journey.
People are still being diagnosed with cancer, needing our support more than ever. Therefore, in collaboration with our Centre in Southport, the West Lancashire Macmillan Centre and the Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, we are hosting a whole month of virtual sessions throughout November. They will run using Microsoft Teams starting from last Monday, November 2, to Thursday, November 26, sometimes twice a day at 10am-11am and 2pm 3pm.
In addition, the Southport and Formby Centre is still providing support either face to face in the Centre on an appointment basis or by telephone.
There will be virtual sessions delivered by Clinical Nurse Specialists from Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals, services that deliver support locally such as Citizens Advice Bureau, Clinical Psychology and spiritual support to name but a few.
We will also be delivering sessions covering more practical advice and support for example sessions around the benefits of exercise, fatigue, skin care and emotional support.
We do acknowledge however, that not everyone has access to the internet and so we will also be producing a directory of all the local organisations and services that are available across the region, as well as face-to-face appointments.
The last few months have certainly been a very difficult time for so many people. Sadly, people have been diagnosed and treated throughout lockdown without ever meeting their medical team in person, people have been shielding and so isolated from their loved ones even when being in hospital, people have been struggling with practical things like getting their shopping done and it doesn’t seem as though things are going to improve as we move into winter.
For further information about the Health & Wellbeing sessions in November, including a timetable of all sessions or information about how to access support through the Centre, please call Tanya on 07976167188 or email sfccg.macmillancic@nhs.net