Cancer Support Yorkshire

Cancer Support Yorkshire is located across the road from Bradford Royal Infirmary’s main entrance (Smith Lane, opposite Gate 6), and offers practical and emotional support to people affected by cancer.

The registered charity provides free guidance and support on everything from transport to welfare rights and finances, also offering counselling, complementary therapies and a range of classes and groups. They can also signpost you to relevant agencies and groups. Advice and support is confidential and free to access.

Example classes include:

• MEDITATION – This is a technique to help you calm your mind when it is busy and, to help you to deal with worries and concerns.
• WELFARE RIGHTS – Our Welfare Rights team can help you with financial concerns, blue badge application forms and benefit enquiries which you may have.
• ART FOR WELLBEING – This is using art as a therapy, e.g. though making collages, painting pebbles.
• MENS GROUP – A forum for men to express themselves in relation to how cancer has impacted on their life. Include peer support and advice.
• COLOUR YOUR DREAMS – This group is to support children (aged 5+) through meditation and art to come to terms with the stress of a family member affected by a cancer diagnosis.
• AND MANY MORE

Call 01274 776688 or visit https://cancersupportyorkshire.org.uk/ for more information and an up to date timetable of activities.

The Next Steps Clinic is piloting a new way to support people to live better with and beyond cancer. It aims to ensure that every patient is aware of and able to access the range of support and services available to help them reach their goals and live as full a life as possible after treatment. The pilot is being coordinated by the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance and involves Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Bradford District Clinical Commissioning Groups and Cancer Support Yorkshire, with funding from Macmillan Cancer Support.

From now on, the offer of support to help people with their personal finances, the ability to maintain social networks and psychological wellbeing, as well as chronic physical problems such as fatigue and pain, will be formalised in a face-to-face appointment. Patients will be supported through the process by the use of an electronic Health Needs Assessment – or eHNA – devised by Macmillan, which helps patients to think about their issues or concerns and possible solutions. They are then signposted to support services, as appropriate.

Currently, the scheme is focusing on people who have come to the end of their treatment for head and neck cancer, gynaecological cancer, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer.

Based at Cancer Support Yorkshire, two support co-ordinators will assess patients involved in the pilot programme at their one-to-one appointment, and talk through their personal circumstances to see what help and support each may need to return to work, connect with their local community, eat well and exercise.

The pilot is part of the Living With and Beyond Cancer programme, which is being coordinated locally by the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance. Contact Cancer Support Yorkshire for further information.