Wednesday 23 October 2013

There is more to Womb Cancer Support UK than just a support group!

Womb Cancer Support UK started back in April 2011 as an online support group for women with womb cancer.

As a womb cancer survivor I realised that there was very little specific support out there for women going through womb cancer, so I started an online support group.

Based on Facebook with a main page and also a private chat page we have slowly grown and now there are over 870 on the main page and 117 in the private chat group.

But we are more than just a support group.

It soon became apparent that there was very little out there about womb cancer - indeed many of the women who are in the group had said that they had never heard of womb cancer before they got their diagnosis.

So we began to raise awareness as well as offer support to those women who had been diagnosed.

We are raising awareness of the signs and symptoms in the hope of getting other women to be womb aware and know what to look out for.

One of the ways we do this is by encouraging women to share their story by writing for our blog.

We have featured around a dozen stories from womb cancer survivors - women who bravely shared their stories in order to help raise awareness.

We are also on Twitter and network with a lot with other cancer charities and support groups to help raise awareness of womb cancer.

If you are going through womb cancer, or know someone who is. then please feel free to come and join us.

We are on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/WombCancerSupportUK but we also have a website here http://wombcancersupportuk.weebly.com/ and you can follow us on twitter here
https://twitter.com/WombCancerUK

There is strength in numbers and we need to raise the profile of womb cancer so that there is the same level of awareness about it as there is for other female cancers.

Our motto is - No one fights alone!

Monday 14 October 2013

No one wants cancer as a job!

I had started this blog last weekend but didn't find the time to finish it but was pleased to see that another blogger, Chris Lewis from http://www.chris-cancercommunity.blogspot.co.uk/ had picked up on the subject.

I scrapped the original blog so here is a brief summary of what I would have said - please pop over and read Chris's blog for a much more eloquent article. He writes so well and I would urge you to follow his blog as it's very good.

In a brief article that Jennifer Saunders, of Ab Fab fame had given, she apparently said that some cancer patients wear their cancer like a badge!

She was quoted as saying "You get so much attention and, if you’re not used to that, I bet it can sway you a little. I’m used to it. My job gives me the attention I’d otherwise crave. They must be so p****d off when their hair grows back"

Now, as you can imagine, this didn't go down too well with the ladies in WCSUK!!!
Comments ranged from "insensitive", "cruel", "smug" - fair to say that many of the women were not impressed with her attitude towards fellow survivors.

She may think that some cancer patients/survivors like the attention they get but I've yet to meet one who does!!

It would seem that she needs the attention at the moment - she's got a book to flog!!!



Thursday 10 October 2013

How cancer affects how you see yourself!

How we see ourselves plays an important part in what we think about ourselves; our self esteem. Some people are more concerned about this than others but even people who would normally not bother about the way they look can find their self esteem takes a fall when they are going through cancer treatment.

Lets face it, you'd have to be a pretty strong character to not worry about loosing your eye brows and eye lashes along with all your other body hair.
And its not only female patients who feel this way; many male cancer patients can find themselves uneasy with their new body image post cancer treatment.

Body image issues have often been ignored by the medical profession and patients have been left to pick up the pieces alone and try to get on with life as best they can but as more and more people are now surviving cancer, an increasing number of GPs, psychol­ogists, and social workers are beginning to  focus on body image issues to help im­prove the long-term quality of life for survivors.

Most cancer patients experience temporary treatment-related physical changes, like hair loss during chemo, or fluctuations in their weight. Others might have permanent changes, like surgical scars.

It seems that, temporary or permanent, these changes can negatively affect how you see your body. Even changes within your body that are not visible,  like having a hysterectomy, can have just as negative an impact on your body image as external physical changes.

Often, when treatment has ended, close family expect you to somehow put it all behind you and move on. However, it can take time to adjust to and accept your post-cancer body, and it’s important for us to do it at our own pace, until we feel comfortable with our body again..
Try and accept that your body has changed and that there may be new limitations on what you can and can't do.

Try and do gentle exercise as this will help not only your physical health but also your mental health.
Try not to compare yourself to other cancer patients or even other people in general. We are all different and all have bodies that will react to treatment in different ways.

Don't be hard on yourself either; you and your body have been through a lot so its going to take some time to get back on an even keel.

Pamper yourself occasionally; try and eat healthily and if you are having problems adjusting then don't be afraid to ask for help. There are support groups up and down the country and if you are really struggling then ask you GP to refer you to a counsellor so that you can talk about your issues.



Thursday 3 October 2013

My Summer with Cancer

This is a guest blog piece by a peach sister from US.

I was diagnosed with uterine cancer in early May, met my oncologist in late May, and  underwent surgery (radical hysterectomy) in late June.
A week later, I got the news that my cancer had been Stage 1a (earliest stage) and I would need no further treatment. I spent June and half of August on medical leave to recover and heal.
All in all, it feels like I had cancer for a summer. I belong to the cancer survivor club now, but it almost seems like I cheated to get into this exclusive club. 
On blogs and other social media, I’ve read some horrific stories about what other women have gone through in treatment and recovery from this cancer. It doesn’t seem fair, somehow, that I had such a relatively easy time of it though my doctor assures me that my case isn’t unusual. 

I don’t really know how long I had cancer. I had been experiencing post-menopausal spotting for over a year. I informed my menopause doctor and she adjusted the hormones I was taking.
Indeed, it could well have been just a hormonal issue in the beginning. Eventually, though, the spotting became more regular, never a lot, but always there. I got off the hormones, but the spotting continued. I discussed the problem with my doctor, who said it could be several things and I should get a sonogram “just to rule out cancer.”
I went the next morning and the results came back that same afternoon. Wow – that was fast! I read the report but didn’t understand it.
The doctor called and told me to get a biopsy next. I understood now – I had failed that first “test.” On Friday I met my new OB/GYN, Dr. D, and got the biopsy done. She told me the results would be ready by mid-week, but on Monday afternoon I got a call from her office. I couldn’t take it as I was about to give a training at work, but inside I thought “uh oh – I bet I failed that test, too.”

When I got home that evening, I saw that the clinic had sent me an e-mail. I expected to read something from Dr. D about the biopsy results and instead saw that my menopause doctor had written. She was sorry to hear about the cancer and hoped I would have a quick recovery. WHAT?! That was it. No details. She had falsely assumed that I had already spoken with Dr. D about the situation.
I wanted to talk to someone, but I’d have to wait until the next day to call the doctor. I contacted some friends, all of whom freaked out more than I had. The ‘c’ word packs a powerful punch.
The next day, Dr. D called (horrified that I had found out in such a way), gave me the details, and said that a gynaecological oncology office would call soon.
I had to wait a few weeks to see the oncologist; a good sign, I felt, that my condition wasn’t dire. By the end of the month, I had met with the oncologist, scheduled a surgery date, and informed colleagues, friends, and family.
Some reacted strongly, some were calm. Everyone said they’d help out during my medical leave. My daughter was away at college, but we stayed in touch frequently. My son, who lives locally, would move back in for the first week post-surgery. 

Most of the time during this period, I was calm. I never experienced pain, just the continued spotting. In fact, my job had been so stressful for the past year and a half that I eagerly looked forward to a break. Sadly, my colleagues understood this all too well.
I am fortunate that I have short-term disability insurance with my company and qualified for full-pay leave up to twelve weeks (this is not a given in the USA) though the standard medical leave for this surgery is six weeks, which is what was approved. Some of my friends in other jobs would have to take leave with no salary if this had happened to them.

On June 25, I had laparoscopic surgery; the oncologist used the DaVinci robot to perform the hysterectomy. I was in the hospital for one night and then discharged with my five holes neatly bandaged. My friends carefully chauffeured me home, where my son was waiting for me.
Over the next weeks, I had many visitors, often bearing food. Once I could ride in a car again, some friends took me out. I read a lot, watched favorite shows, and slowly began to walk and regain my strength.

It’s been about three months since the surgery. Am I back to my post-surgery condition? Not entirely. I have no pain where the incision holes were, but my abdominal and back muscles are still weak. To my dismay, I’m going through a second menopause as my body readjusts to having no hormones at all now that my ovaries are gone.
I get to experience hot flashes, acne, and sleepless nights all over again. So unfair! But having cancer does give one a wake-up call. I’m working very hard on improving my diet and exercise habits.
I put my personal life before my work life much more easily now. I’ve taken a fresh look at what makes me happy and how I want to spend my time.
I’m buying flowers for myself every week, I’m reading much more, and trying to write my blogs more often (see below). I make a strong effort to stay in touch with friends, near and far. I’ve always been close to my son and daughter, both in their early 20s, and I’m even more motivated to stay healthy, so I can be around for them a long, long time.

Cancer is no longer the death sentence it once was for earlier generations, but it is still important to educate the public so that it is diagnosed and treated early. This is what motivates me to share my story. People often shy away from discussing cancer, but it’s only by bringing it out into the open that more people with cancer will be able to join the survivors’ club. 

Shoshanah

http://shoshwrites.wordpress.com/ (After the Fire)
http://shoshwrites2.wordpress.com/ (My Life in the Middle Lane)
http://shoshwrites3.wordpress.com/ (From Soccer Mom to Soccer Fan)