My name is Michelle and I volunteer at Wessex Cancer Support’s Isle of Wight Cancer Wellbeing Centre.
I am a qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor and wanted to help the charity after losing my husband to cancer in 2019.
I’ve been helping with counselling during the past year. It’s been a particular challenge because of the lack of face-to-face contact and I’ve really noticed how some clients have been affected by anxiety and isolation.
One particular client lives on her own and has a number of medical conditions in addition to her cancer. She’s had an operation and will need radiology at Southampton Hospital.
She has plenty of hobbies, but doesn’t use the internet so relies on telephone contact. When she was referred to us, it was particularly important to her that she would be supported by someone that she could trust to share her feelings and not be judged. I’ve phoned the client weekly and we’ve got to know each other well. We chat about all sorts of things, including her condition and she gives me updates on her treatment. I tell her about all the services Wessex Cancer Support can offer, particularly the Daisy Bus that will help her get to hospital appointments.
I was really pleased when she fed back to me that she really appreciates my calls and our contact has helped her to cope with her anxiety and feelings of isolation.