Local knowledge is power
Life with cancer is still life, and Macmillan is supporting people to live it by delivering a huge range of services tailored to communities the length and breadth of the UK. Why not find out exactly what’s available near you so you can give people the most relevant information when you are volunteering?
From support groups to complementary therapies and from physical activity programmes to financial guidance, Macmillan’s vital services can help people with cancer to feel like themselves again. As a volunteer, you can play a key role in helping people to take back control by familiarising yourself with the services available locally and signposting the relevant people to them.
The In Your Area section of our website is the perfect place to start. Simply head over there, enter your postcode, and discover support that’s on your doorstep.
Know more, do more
One person who knows that a little bit of local knowledge can make a massive difference is Maureen, a lead information and support volunteer at Macmillan @ Glasgow Libraries. The service operates in libraries across Glasgow and offers anyone in the city affected by cancer the opportunity to drop in for vital information and support in a non-clinical setting.
‘Being there for someone who has taken the brave step to come and talk to you and put their trust in you, is very humbling. To feel that you’ve made a difference is the best feeling ever,’ she says.
Maureen knows that the more aware you are of what’s available locally, the more chance there is to make an impact.
For example, she recently helped a young family access emotional, practical and financial support. Following the father’s terminal diagnosis, Maureen was able to refer the mother to a Macmillan counselling service, where she could talk through the impact of the illness on the family. She also signposted the family to a local Macmillan service called Helping Matters which provided them with practical support around the home.
What’s more, Maureen used her knowledge of other organisations to help the family secure funding for a desperately-needed holiday from a local cancer charity.
A mine of information
It’s easy to get clued up on both the cancer services and the ways in which you can support Macmillan in your community like Maureen. Why not head over to In Your Area now and find out about the support and opportunities available near you? And, if you know of any services or support opportunities that should be listed but aren’t, please let us know by emailing us.
Top
