THOUSANDS of people living with cancer have been helped by generous donations totalling more than £523,000.

Macmillan Cancer Support in Dorset has 44 people working in Dorset, thanks to the funds allocated to the county.

The money and investment in staff is helping to support 22,000 people, said Chrissie Wathen-Neal, Macmillan fundraising manager for Dorset.

"I just want to say a personal thank you to everyone who hosted or attended coffee mornings, volunteered their time, took part in challenge events, braved the shave, went sober for October, put a pound in a collection box, or held their own events to raise money for Macmillan", she added.

Tracy Acock, a Macmillan Metastatic breast cancer clinical nurse specialist at Poole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the most recent additions to the local Macmillan team.

Tracy said; ‘My post was new to the trust when I started last year and is the only one of its kind across Dorset. I support people who have breast cancer which has spread to other parts of their body.

"As keyworker for my patient group, I provide emotional support, assist with arranging treatments and appointments, explain information about treatment plans, signpost to services, speak to other professionals on their behalf, and generally support the person affected and their families and carers to cope with their diagnosis. "To me the role is really important in providing specific support and information for a patient group who often have complex needs.

"This can help improve their overall experience, especially because I can be there to support them right from the point of diagnosis."

Chrissie added: "Macmillan’s ambition is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer. By 2030, the number of people living with the disease will have doubled, so it’s a huge task to support each and every one of those in some way.

"With the support of local fundraisers and volunteers, we can keep supporting services like Tracy’s, and team up with partners like the Poole Hospitals NHS Trust to provide the best cancer care possible here in your community. With your help, we can make sure no one in Dorset has to face cancer alone."

To find out more, contact Chrissie on 07764503477 or cwathen-neal@macmillan.org.uk.