Maggie's Centres

60% of people don’t know that cancer treatment could cause an early treatment-induced crash menopause. That's why, in the lead-up to #WorldMenopauseDay, we're keeping the conversation going so that more women, and their friends and family, can be aware of the symptoms and access the support and treatment they’re entitled to. We hear in our centres just how sudden and debilitating side effects like hot flushes and brain fog can be whilst managing things like work, being a parent and relationships. Help us keep the conversation going about crash menopause by sharing this video. If you’re about to start treatment and have concerns or if you need support with managing the side effects of crash menopause, just come in to your nearest Maggie's and our friendly experts can talk you through what support is right for you. To learn more about menopause and cancer, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eN9VwTqa Thank you to everyone who took part in our video for helping us to keep the conversation going about crash menopause. Adele Roberts Carolyn Harris MP Amy Dowden MBE Laura Lee (DBE), Maggie's CEO Rebecca Nicholls, Maggie's cancer support specialist Tulip Siddiq MP Dr Liz O'Riordan Dr Sian Williams Tonia Antoniazzi MP Baroness Gillian Merron Caroline Nokes MP Cllr Elizabeth Carr-Ellis Julie Robinson MenoHealth Dani Binnington Menopause and Cancer CIC (not-for-profit) Dr Anisha Patel Amanda Pritchard NHS England Jackie Baillie MSP

Ann is living with secondary breast cancer and, along with her husband, came to us for support throughout her treatment. Together, they share the impact of our different kind of cancer care and the importance of having each other to lean on. Whether you're living with cancer yourself or a partner of someone with cancer, we're here with you. Just come in to chat with our friendly experts about what support may be right for you. Find your nearest centre here: https://lnkd.in/eJRi8fH

“One of the cancer support specialists at Maggie’s helped to start my joy journey. When I thought I was waiting for an advanced cancer diagnosis, he showed me the way of seeking joy in every day. It was so profound in a very dark time.    “For me, finding joy is about the tiniest of things that make you feel that sense of gratitude of having another day alive. I treat each and every morning as a gift. Something as small as being brought a cup of tea in a favourite mug, it can be just that.    “The second part of the joy is family and friends. Remembering to prioritise time with friends that leave you feeling fulfilled and happy and grateful they are in your life.    “Another part is still working on yourself despite the illness, pain, appointments, and surgeries. I have learnt more in the last two years about many hobbies I’ve always wanted to try. I have found deep joy and gratitude for my garden where I have built swing beds, pergolas as well as a greenhouse. And I have planted dahlias. Growing flowers to cut has been so unbelievably joyful. I give them to friends and colleagues and their faces are just made up. Gifting the proceeds of hard graft and nurture gives others joy and is deeply satisfying on so many levels.    “The final part of joy is saying yes. Even though it might make you a bit uncomfortable. Say yes to the gallery or exhibition. Say yes to coffee with a dear friend even if you feel dreadful. Let them know how you feel but go anyway and you nearly always feel joyful afterwards. Grow the flowers. Grow your own tomatoes. These are such simple pleasures.” For Sarah Jane, our centres are a space to speak with experts about ways to find joy after a cancer diagnosis. Just come in to speak with one of our friendly cancer support specialists about your life with cancer. To find your nearest centre visit https://lnkd.in/eJRi8fH 

“It was really hard to talk to my family about how I was feeling, but I could talk at Maggie’s.” Two weeks after Graeme started treatment for a brain tumour, he and his partner Daisy found out they were expecting their first child, Mabel. Treatment was difficult and by Christmas, Graeme was struggling both mentally and physically. "When I turned up at Maggie's, they knew instantly that I needed serious help. Maggie’s gave me the starting blocks to put my life back together. "I know that I can’t have ‘me’ back after what I’ve been through; I am forever changed by cancer. "But now, I want some good times and to give my daughter a good start in life. Mabel is the best thing that came out of this whole experience.” Visit our website to help us to continue supporting families like Graeme and Daisy’s to find hope, strength and joy following a cancer diagnosis: https://lnkd.in/gH2_HSRy

A cancer diagnosis can sometimes lead us to rediscovering and reprioritising things that bring us joy. We asked our community share with us the passions, hobbies and the little things that they're prioritising. Here are just some of your answers: - "I started to go to choir. The best thing was no one asked me why I had no hair or said things like 'You'll be fine' or 'You'll beat this'." - "Baking for the gorgeous people in my life."  - "After my mum was diagnosed with cancer, I was fortunate to win some photography lessons. Learning photography has been transformative and it has taught me to slow down and truly appreciate the fleeting beauty of nature and the changing seasons."  - "Music, nature and my dog!" Visit our website to read more about how we support people with cancer to find hope, strength and joy: https://lnkd.in/ej9WJCUa

“A challenge for me was my feeling of fear, which was off the charts during the early stages of diagnosis. I was terrified that I was going to die young. Other challenges were the 'pickling of my brain'. I craved normality, yet there I was in appointments about having my breast removed, possible IVF and medication that would cause early menopause. I felt like I was on one of those awful rides in a theme park, desperate to get off. I distinctly remember telling my family and friends that, even though they were 'with me', I felt incredibly lonely in my head.    “I have learnt that you really do need to advocate for yourself, and firmly. It is so hard, I have felt like a pain in the arse so much, but it's been necessary for both my physical and mental health. I have also learnt that this is okay. Other young people I have met through Maggie’s have given me strength and support to do this. I think being younger, I am more keen to interact with others in similar situations. We are keen to educate each other, give each other advice, moan together, cry together and laugh at our bonkers situation together.    “Having said that, I'd honestly give anything, absolutely anything, to have not gone through it. The diagnosis, and lead-up to it, completely broke me - body, mind and spirit. The young people and support around me have brought me 'back' now. I'm changed for good, but I am largely back to me.    “Maggie’s means the world to me. It is a truly beautiful sanctuary and source of support.”    For Hannah who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38, our centres are a space for finding strength and meeting other young women like herself. Visit our website to read more about how we support people with cancer to find hope, strength and joy: https://lnkd.in/ej9WJCUa

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“It is really hard to tell the people you love that you've got cancer, you want to be there for them and pretend everything is okay. Being a final year university student at the time, I just tried to focus on my studies and social life, which delayed me from recognising the gravity of the life changing event that had just happened to me.    “I really tried to not let cancer define me, but I failed to recognise that with something as big as cancer, your views and morals change. Your direction has to change in life to help yourself heal and grow. I personally found this very hard as a lot of my friends were thinking of travelling and I was unable to have this option with all my appointments for the upcoming few years.     “Ironically, having cancer at the beginning of my twenties really helped me learn a lot of hard life lessons early that I am very grateful for. I really appreciate the little things in life now, and I am just happy to be well. Prior to cancer, I was comparing myself to other individuals but now I recognise that as long as I'm happy everything else is irrelevant.    “Maggie's means support, stability and hope.”    For Tom, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 20, our centres were a space to find hope and connect with others in a similar situation to him, at a time in his life where his peers were planning for life after uni. Visit our website to read more about how we support people with cancer to find hope, strength and joy: https://lnkd.in/ej9WJCUa

Jess received her breast cancer diagnosis three months before getting married to her partner Ben. Jess shares with us how cancer treatment made her rethink other milestones in life and how we supported her: "My husband Ben and I kept all our plans in place after we found out about my diagnosis. The wedding was beautiful. It was in Leeds and we had a humanist ceremony. The hospital helped me to plan my treatment around my wedding and we had a small holiday away in Norfolk for our minimoon. It was just what we needed. “Cancer has definitely tested our relationship. Ben has seen me at my lowest, but having been through this has made us stronger. Ben is comforted knowing Maggie’s supports me, and that in turn supports him. Maggie’s is important to him in a different way. “For me, the most difficult part of experiencing cancer at a young age is the impact it has had on my fertility. Cancer has taken away my choice and control over my ability to have children. Something that was supposed to be joyful has become very stressful. I now don’t know whether I can have children. “Nothing takes away the pain of the uncertainty about whether we will be able to have a family, but the psychologists at Maggie’s helped and encouraged me to acknowledge those feelings while continuing to find joy in other parts of my life." Visit our website to read more about how we support people with cancer to find hope, strength and joy: https://lnkd.in/ej9WJCUa

We asked our community to share with us what they learned about themselves when they or someone they know received a cancer diagnosis. Some of the answers we received include: - "I am so much stronger than I thought." - "I am resilient and I am compassionate." - "One day I can be utterly broken but I can rebuild." - "That it's OK for me to be vulnerable." Share what you learned about yourself below. Visit our website to read more about how we support people with cancer to find hope, strength and joy: https://lnkd.in/ej9WJCUa