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Cancerlink: Helping people help themselves

Cancerlink: Helping people help themselves INTRODUCTION The UK’s thriving voluntary sector is fundamentally about a community‐based approach to solving problems and dealing with issues. Cancerlink is no exception and in 1982, four individuals affected by cancer came together to tackle a very real problem ‐ the, then, almost complete lack of information and emotional support for people with cancer, their families, friends and carers. During the 1980s and early 1990s Cancerlink developed a range of services including publications (1997, 1998) and freephone helplines offering medical information and support as well as facilitating the development of local cancer self‐help and support groups. Cancerlink has been particularly concerned with groups of people who find access to services more difficult and a variety of innovative projects on cancer prevention, treatment and care have been undertaken, addressing issues of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and age. Whilst this paper outlines a positive agenda for effective strategies to improve quality of life for people affected by cancer, there are tragic reminders of a system that totally fails some individuals. Individuals like this middle‐aged woman who had recently undergone treatment who said: ‘I wish someone had told me I had cancer before they removed my breast’. CHALLENGE AND CHANGE As the http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Journal of Cancer Care Wiley

Cancerlink: Helping people help themselves

European Journal of Cancer Care , Volume 8 (1) – Mar 1, 1999

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References (2)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Blackwell Science Ltd
ISSN
0961-5423
eISSN
1365-2354
DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2354.1999.00126.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The UK’s thriving voluntary sector is fundamentally about a community‐based approach to solving problems and dealing with issues. Cancerlink is no exception and in 1982, four individuals affected by cancer came together to tackle a very real problem ‐ the, then, almost complete lack of information and emotional support for people with cancer, their families, friends and carers. During the 1980s and early 1990s Cancerlink developed a range of services including publications (1997, 1998) and freephone helplines offering medical information and support as well as facilitating the development of local cancer self‐help and support groups. Cancerlink has been particularly concerned with groups of people who find access to services more difficult and a variety of innovative projects on cancer prevention, treatment and care have been undertaken, addressing issues of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and age. Whilst this paper outlines a positive agenda for effective strategies to improve quality of life for people affected by cancer, there are tragic reminders of a system that totally fails some individuals. Individuals like this middle‐aged woman who had recently undergone treatment who said: ‘I wish someone had told me I had cancer before they removed my breast’. CHALLENGE AND CHANGE As the

Journal

European Journal of Cancer CareWiley

Published: Mar 1, 1999

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