Stories about travel and cancer
Travelling with cancer
Cancer doesn't have to stop you from travelling. Whether you go abroad or stay in the UK, going on a holiday can help you feel more relaxed. It can also give you time to spend with your loved ones. However there might be some things you want to consider when planning a trip.
Eileen, diagnosed with breast cancer
"I gave myself a goal - I wanted to travel around the world. So I began planning the trip and building myself up to being able to do it. It kept me focused and gave me something to look forward to."
Jolene, diagnosed with melanoma
"I did not want to miss out on any opportunity to experience travel. But I had to juggle my time with hospital appointments and work."
Nina
"Thanks to booking a holiday to celebrate the end of my treatment I was able to heal while being in my favourite place - the ocean."
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Travel insurance
Travel insurance aims to protect you from losing money if something unexpected happens before or during your trip. It also makes sure you can get emergency medical care if you need it. It is an important thing to think about if you are planning to travel.
It can be difficult to find the right travel insurance for you. Here are some tips from people with cancer about their experience with travel insurance.
Tag: LIFSTHayley
"I discovered an insurance company through Macmillan's Online Community. I have used them many times. They covered me for a month when I travelled to Australia and New Zealand."
- Hayley, diagnosed with throat cancer
Michael
"I decided that peace of mind was important, especially when visiting countries further away. So I started to shop around and found 2 insurance companies. I went to Dubai for a week and my insurance company covered any cancer-related treatment. It was a complete game-changer!"
- Michael, diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma
Paul
"I found that many travel insurance companies do not understand risks around cancer. They assume that having regular check-ups means you are at more risk of needing emergency treatment."
- Paul, diagnosed with tonsil cancer
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"I found it really scary at first. We went on holiday to Torquay as a family. Then we found out I could fly, so my husband and I went to Alicante for a few days" - Sandra
Taking care of yourself while travelling
Martha, diagnosed with cervical cancer
"When we were on holiday, recovering from surgery, I had heavy bleeding and got an infection. I called my CNS [Clinical Nurse Specialist] as it just didn't feel right. I was advised to go to A&E, but we were in the middle of nowhere so that just wasn't possible. So I just sort of rode it out and waited for it all to heal."
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Share your experience
By sharing your experiences with us, you can help influence Macmillan's work and inspire more people to do whatever it takes for people living with cancer. Here are some ways for you get involved. All are powerful ways to help make the future better for people living with cancer.
Help us raise awareness around what we do in national and local press.
Give advice to others who are affected by cancer through our Online Community forums.
Join our community that brings diverse voices together to drive change.