No one must face blood cancer alone, whatever their diagnosis, prognosis, or outcome. That’s why we are backing the Daily Express’ campaign for better cancer care, which calls for all cancer patients to be given mental health support during and after their treatment. Blood cancers include leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Whatever the diagnosis, patients can face challenges beyond physical health. The experience can be a maze of emotions and uncertainties, and mental health support should run alongside medical treatments and monitoring.
Blood cancer is the UK’s fifth most common cancer, and affects 1 in 19 people in the UK. Yet many are unsure of where to turn for support once treatment ends, or in some cases, even waiting for it to begin. Many patients with blood cancers will be on ‘active monitoring’ and will go for regular tests and check-ups for sometimes months, or even years, before treatment.
Whatever the experience, there can be an expectation for anyone not in treatment to ‘get back to normal’. Yet this is far from easy. For some, there’s a lingering fear of cancer coming back, regularly feeling nervous before having their bloods’ checked, and a struggle to find a ‘new normal’. All this can be isolating, with limited services to help.
Our specialist blood cancer nurses often hear that accessing mental health services proves challenging due to long waiting lists and a lack of services. Those with blood cancer also report a postcode lottery in service availability, highlighting the need for standardised, accessible support nationwide.
We’re here for anyone affected by blood cancer to listen and support them. We signpost ways to access psychological support and give people the confidence to reach out to their clinical teams.
People come through to us with health worries and to talk through their concerns. Many of our callers have life-long conditions, and our support line talk people through the options, giving people realistic advice.
For who do complete their treatment, often these conversations are about understanding what more specific services are available to them in their local area.
In more recent times, we’ve seen an increase in demand for our services. There are simply not enough staff providing NHS care. A clinical nurse specialist for example, can’t pick up the phone all the time, so having our team that can, and give informed support is a lifeline for many.
Healthcare professionals from across the blood cancer workforce have told us that nursing levels have not adjusted to the higher level of care needed by patients on the ward and in outpatient chemotherapy. And they aren’t always able to give the additional emotional support people require.
At Blood Cancer UK we have also outlined ways to improve this picture in our UK-wide Blood Cancer Action Plan. This means improving the blood cancer workforce, including increasing the number of skilled healthcare professionals who understand both the medical complexities and the mental health needs of blood cancer patients.
We must work to ensure people don’t just survive blood cancer but thrive beyond.
Blood Cancer UK’s support line is 08082 080888 and people can also email support@bloodcancer.org.uk or visit the charity’s website.
