Hi - I’d love to be able to meet up with other women who are going through breast cancer treatment like myself, have just stopped work for a while and finding it tough and quite lonely. A few people have recommended Maggie’s to me but there is not one locally, and my private treatment has been via a very small oncology unit with no breast care nurse or contact with other patients. I live in the Bournemouth / Poole area and wonder if anyone knows of such a group that I can join, just to have coffee with someone who understands would mean a lot.
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Have you asked your BCN ? They run a formal support group in our area which meets every 3 months but they also pointed me to 2 informal groups which meet locally . Yeah it can be a lonely place . Xx
Don’t have a BCN, think that is part of the problem!
Ah yes it may be . If you are on Facebook you could search on that - the informal one I’m now part of are on FB but I am not so another member gave me the email address of the organiser but we have a WhatsApp group which I’m part of now. The other thing is if there is anyone in your area who has recovered - I found that a fairly new friend had recovered from BC and she was able to support me a bit . Xx
Check
https://breastcancernow.org/support-for-you/
And the Macmillan website or give them a call. They can offer support and maybe know of something in your area.
K
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Facebook can be really helpful for linking with other people with or who have had breast cancer. I keep in contact with some people from FB via messaging, one group I met for a coffee and a chat which was great. May be worth a try, I’m pleased I did as I’ve met some incredible people through it. x
Hi
Being in a smaller community/ village can be tough and as others have said ask your team at the hospital, your GP or search for local groups on Facebook ( they aren’t always called breast group names…)
Have you asked in your local cancer charity shop or even a local hairdresser/ beauty salon as they see lots of clients going through this?
Good luck and in the meantime have a cuppa with a close friend, they might not truly understand but im sure they will listen and give you a hug xx
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Thanks - my surgeon referred me to the local NHS BCN team and a lovely nurse called me yesterday and will put me in touch with local support groups. Made me realise what I had been missing in the private system. She will now keep in touch and I think it will really help.
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Not sure I did it right but sent you a message
Hi Kate. Just saw this thread. I also had my treatment privately with no BC nurse. I live in Bournemouth. Happy to meet up if you are still looking for F2F support. I am 49, working full time 
and mum to a 12 year old boy. 
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Hi Phoenix5 and thanks for your message. Not sure where and when your treatment was - I’ve just had reconstruction surgery a year after my mastectomy at Bournemouth Nuffield last October, and decided not to go back to work when the bulk of my treatment finished earlier this year. So I’m very much at the end of treatment and probably not nearly as busy as you are! If you do have time to meet for coffee that would be lovely (I’m in Lower Parkstone) but no worries if you are too busy. Hoping all went well for you.
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Hi Kate. Diagnosed in Feb this year. Surgeries in March, had to have mastectomy in the end. No reconstruction. Radiation in May and in tamoxifen for next 5 years. How lovely that you are getting more time for you. I am desperate for more healing time but have a very busy full time job and try to be a good mum and partner too. If you are ever near castle point, give me a shout. We could meet for a coffee. X
Hiya - I do come over to Castlepoint fairly often, and it would be lovely to meet for a coffee. Sounds like things have all been fairly recent for you - mine has been a long old journey (almost 20 months now as reconstruction was delayed) but things do get better in time and the experience certainly helps put other challenges into perspective!
How shall I contact you to arrange a meet up?
Hi! Sorry about the delay in responding. I can give you my number via this email: ursula_rolfe@yahoo.co.uk