Sandy Heward from Ringwood was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. But it was when her treatment at Royal Bournemouth Hospital finished that she found things difficult. She explains;
Feeling isolated
“After all the treatment had finished, I felt elated at first but then very quickly started feeling down. After a whole year of treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, there was suddenly no one telling me what to do and I felt very alone, not knowing what to do next. My Macmillan breast cancer nurse at Royal Bournemouth Hospital knew I was going downhill, and suggested an exercise referral scheme.”
Help is at hand
“The exercise programme changed my life I have never felt more healthy or fit. Without my Macmillan Nurse pushing me I would have just sat here and wallowed in my own misery. The exercise scheme referral was the turning point in my life - not only have I beaten cancer but I have never felt so well and been fitter. That's all thanks to Geraldine, without her realising I was down and floundering and didn't know what to do with myself I would never feel so great now.
“My Mac Nurse helped me turn my life around and now I would like to do what I can to help.”
“I am still exercising and feeling good. My Mac Nurse helped me turn my life around and now I would like to do what I can to help - that's why I hold a coffee morning every year which I thoroughly enjoy doing and people come from all over Ringwood.
“It was great to meet other people who had been through the same as me – throughout a year of treatment I’d not met anyone else with breast cancer.
3 years on I still attend exercise classes and go walking 3 times per week – I’m feeling great. Being physically active after treatment for breast cancer transformed my life.”
Cancer is one of the toughest things any of us can face, and the Macmillan team in Dorset is here to help people affected by cancer every step of the way.
If you have money worries as a result of cancer, then call the Macmillan Poole and Bournemouth Welfare
Benefits Advice Service on 01202 670 716
For more about Macmillan and the services we offer, call the Macmillan Support Line free
on 0808 808 00 00
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