This uncertain time is particularly hard if you have cancer, with worries about treatment or risk of infection. Now, our services are needed more than ever. We know cancer doesn’t stop so were working hard to be here for everyone who needs us.
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are quickly evolving our support services to ensure that we have resources available that are easy to access from home. Whilst, our support centres are currently closed for the safety of our clients, staff and volunteers, we have introduced a telephone support service and set up an online support group. We’ll be continually updating our online resources, which will include videos and helpful advice, streaming of classes and meditation and telephone counselling.
Our transport services are still running, with increased precautions for clients. We’re still here for you, and we’re committed to being here for you for as long as we possibly can be.
While we continue to support people affected by cancer during this difficult time, the financial impact of Covid-19 poses an unprecedented challenge for us. At the moment we don’t know just how big an impact the pandemic will have, but we’ve had to cancel or change plans for much of this years fundraising programme and we’ve also now had to close our charity shops across the region.
The period from March until the end of July is incredibly important to us, and the postponement of the London Marathon, along with other challenge events, will hit us hard. Our flagship fundraising event Walk for Hope was due to take place in June, we’ve now had to postpone it which means the predicted income is now in doubt. As well as events and community fundraising activities being cancelled, many of corporate friends are not at work to support our fundraising efforts.
Sheila, who lives in Thornhill, Southampton, lost her husband, Mike, to cancer and was due to start immunotherapy for secondary lung cancer at Southampton General Hospital within the next few weeks. She’s been visiting our Chandler’s Ford support centre since 2017. Sheila has been using Zoom to take part in sound therapy and has arranged to talk to one of our trained counsellors over the telephone.
She says it is a particularly anxious time for her:
“I really feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I agreed with my consultant that it would be too risky for me to proceed with my treatment and that we should delay it, but all the time I know that the cancer is growing. Wessex Cancer Support has been really supportive and it’s comforting to know they’re still there even though I can’t go to the centre at the moment.”
Please do consider making a donation to help us through this uncertain time and thank you for continuing to support Wessex Cancer Support. We’re extremely proud to be part of a wonderful community and of the work our teams do to support local people affected by cancer and were determined to get through this tough time too.