Cancer Patients Given New Resource

Monday, 5 February 2024 11:58

A Cancer Directory has been put together to help people through their cancer diagnoses.

The information pack, launched on World Cancer Day, aims to help people through treatment and care.

The Cancer Strategy Implementation Plan Committee realised that many patients were unaware of the services available in Jersey or where to get help.

Chair of the committee, Consultant Oncologist Dr Elizabet Gomes Dos Santos, says it is important for people to take advantage of the services available.

"When you are diagnosed with cancer, there are so many things going on, dealing with the diagnosis, getting on track for the different types of treatment, sometimes you have to go off-island, and it's all very quick and overwhelming.

Maybe not taking advantage of all these support services can impact how you deal with the situation."

The directory was created as part of joint work between the government and Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey and includes personalised care plans for patients and a nurse-led survivors clinic.

The Cancer Strategy team noticed not all of the services were aware of each other, so creating the information pack made it easy for people working in healthcare to suggest services to patients.

Dr Gomes Dos Santos reiterates the point that it is important to catch cancer early.

"Everybody should be more attentive to their health and make sure that if there is anything out of the ordinary, always go, speak to your GP because what's important with cancer is to diagnose as early as possible.

As we know, one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifetime."