Here at Macmillan Cancer Support, we were so delighted to be chosen as one of two charities to receive donations from giffgaff’s community. Thank you so much for showing such support for our work supporting people affected by cancer.
Being told ‘you have cancer’ can affect so much more than your health – your family, your job, even your ability to pay the bills. But you’re still you. And, after over 100 years of helping people through cancer, we get what’s most important: that you’re treated as a person, not just a patient.
It’s why we’ll take the time to understand you and all that matters to you, so we can provide the support you need to take care of your health, protect your personal relationships and deal with money and work worries.
One of the key services Macmillan offers to support people affected by cancer across the UK is our Macmillan Support Line (MSL).
The MSL is there for people to call, if they just feel the need for a chat about what they’re going through, if they wish to speak to a Macmillan Nurse about their treatment and ask questions, if they need advice on benefits they can claim, or need financial support, or even if they just want to find out more about other Macmillan Services local to them that they can gain access to. It’s completely free to call, and we are often told by patients that it is a lifeline to people who are living with cancer and are feeling worried and alone with what they’re going through.
Ravinder called the Macmillan Support Line when she was waiting for her initial diagnosis and was finding it very hard:
‘I think it was just nice to talk to somebody about how I was actually feeling, because I was very tearful at the time. It was nice to get it all off my chest…It helped me to deal with my emotions – just to talk to somebody about what I was actually feeling, because I couldn’t do that with my children and husband. I wanted to be brave in front of them and not upset them. Sometimes you can relate to someone better when you talk to a stranger over the phone than you can to your loved ones.’
You can watch Ravinder talk more about her experience of using the Macmillan support line via the video below:
1 in 2 of us in the UK are expected to receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lives. That's nearly 1000 people every day and it's increasing all the time. Macmillan’s purpose is to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can, but we can only do this with the support of people like you, who have chosen to donate to Macmillan. So once again, a big thank you from all of us as Macmillan for your support.
Together, we can help people with cancer find their best way through.
The Macmillan Support Line can be reached 8am-8pm Monday to Friday on 0800 808 00 00. For more information on Macmillan and how to get support, you can visit our website at https://www.macmillan.org.uk
Macmillan Cancer Support was nominated to receive giffgaff's charity Payback in June this year. If you'd like to donate further, you can do so directly at their website, on the giffgaff JustGiving page, or by text message by texting GGMM51 £1 (or any amount) to 70070.