Carol and Pauline stories: how an hour a week can make all the difference

Stories
Published: 27 November 2025
After recovering from endometrial cancer, Carol knew she wanted to give something back. As a Macmillan Telephone Buddy, she now supports people going through cancer, like Pauline, one conversation at a time.

Carol's story

A black and white photo of Carol. She has short hair and is wearing black rimmed glasses.
Image: Carol

“I was diagnosed the year before Covid-19 hit,” Carol says. “Fortunately for me, it was at an early stage, so I was very, very lucky. I had surgery but I didn’t need to have chemotherapy.”

She moved on quickly with her life and, not long after, saw that Macmillan was looking to recruit volunteer Telephone Buddies.

“I really wanted to do it. I thought that if I could help somebody – or just give them some comfort during tough times – then that would be amazing.”

Carol has been supporting people over the phone for several years now. Each match lasts 8-12 weeks.

Some of her buddies want to talk about their treatment, fears or relationships. Others want a complete break from anything cancer-related.

“I’ve had people say, ‘I’m just fed up of talking about my illness.’ So, we talk about other things. Some people just need to vent because they have been bottling everything up and don’t feel able to tell their families how they are really feeling. They need that release – and I’m here to listen.”

"You've got to build trust quickly, so I always tell the person, 'This is your time. You can take the conversation wherever you want it to go.'"

A space to talk that really matters

Carol approaches each call like a conversation with a friend – with warmth and understanding.

“I always say, let’s just take things a day at a time. It might be about getting through the next appointment or just getting through the week. But that support – that space to talk – really matters.”

She says the people she speaks to leave a lasting impression.

“They’re all from different parts of the country, different backgrounds – but they’re all going through the same thing. And I find them so inspirational. The way they handle it – or even just the fact that they’ve reached out – I have so much admiration for them.”

Getting support when she needs it

When the calls feel emotionally heavy, Carol is reassured by the support available.

“Macmillan’s volunteer managers are very, very supportive. I’ve had a couple of conversations that have weighed heavily on me, but my managers were brilliant – always there with advice and guidance.”

She fits her volunteering around other commitments – including her role as chair of a national charity.

“I took early retirement at 59 from a senior position. I didn’t want to go back to travelling the world for work – I wanted to do something fulfilling. An hour’s call each week is nothing, but it can really make a difference.”

For Carol, it’s simple. “I’m just having a conversation with someone who needs support. And if I can offer that support – well, that’s just so rewarding.”

Pauline's story

After her breast cancer diagnosis, Pauline found herself overwhelmed by constant hospital visits and struggling to manage it all on her own. But a simple weekly phone call helped lift her out of that dark place.

“I was in my local supermarket, and I just burst into tears,” Pauline says. “One of the young ladies who worked there came over and asked what was wrong. I told her, ‘I can't carry on like this.’ I was just having appointment after appointment after appointment.”

From facing tough times alone to having Carol in her corner

Now in her 70s, Pauline had undergone surgery and radiotherapy and was managing ongoing treatment and follow-up care. But it wasn’t just the volume of appointments that wore her down – it was the fact she was facing them all alone.

“My operation was in one hospital, the radiotherapy in another even further away. Then they found something in my blood, so I had to have transfusions, blood tests – everything. It was hell. I live on my own, and I was struggling to keep on top of it all.”

The young woman in the supermarket recognised that Pauline needed more support – and she acted fast.

“She said, ‘You need help.’ Right there and then, she got out her phone and contacted Macmillan. Within a week, I got a phone call from them, and then I was matched with Carol, my telephone buddy.”

A weekly lifeline

Pauline and Carol spoke once a week, every Sunday at 9am – something which quickly became Pauline’s lifeline.

“I always had my phone next to me, just waiting to hear her voice. I live on my own – my husband died before I was diagnosed – so it meant the world to know someone would be there to talk to me.”

From the start, Pauline knew she didn’t want her weekly calls to focus on her illness.

“I said that I’d had enough of talking about cancer. I wanted to cheer myself up. I wanted to stop feeling so low. And Carol understood that. We talked about my garden and about football – we support different teams, so we’d rib each other about that. We just built this brilliant connection.”

That connection became a real turning point

“It’s fantastic talking to somebody. You don’t actually see them but knowing they’re out there and that they care – it makes a big difference. Carol lifted me up. I loved every minute of our chats.”

Looking back, Pauline is clear about what the service gave her.

“I would tell anybody going through a hard time with cancer that this was the best thing that happened to me. It made me feel happy. I felt like someone was in my corner again.”

Inspired by Carol and Pauline's story?

Find out how you can volunteer for or get support through our Telephone Buddy service.

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