A NEW survival guide has been developed to provide support and practical advice for cancer patients in the town.

The guide was created as a joint collaboration between Great Western Hospital, patients at various stages of cancer treatment, and Macmillan Cancer Support.

It aims to give patients with a diagnosis of cancer the right information at the right time to help them cope with the impact of living with and beyond the illness.

Jannette Fieser, patient representative and user involvement group member said: “When patients are faced with a life-altering situation panic often ensues, either individually or in the people who love or care for them.

“Whilst the clinical team will be striving on to plan the most effective treatment regime, patients might have more practical issues that are concerning them.

“This may be an immediate need or something in the longer term such as what happens about their job, managing financially, who will look after the children or pets on challenging days, for example.

“This guide was created for patients, and for those who are important in their life.

“Its aim is to empower patients to take control of the things they can, and to organise areas of their life that will be impacted during this time of treatment; with the help and advice of those with experience that they might choose to use.”

The guide contains information on a local level, including support groups and networks, transport, mobility and travel, finance, emotions and relationships, and support for children and teenagers.

Lorraine Hayward, cancer services office manager for GWH who leads on patient and user involvement, and Alison Koster, lead cancer nurse, said it is about empowering people to self manage and giving them more control.

Lorraine said: “Having input from the Trust, from Macmillan Cancer Support and also from patients themselves makes this guide very effective in providing the right information and support.”

Alison said: “With advances in medicine fortunately more and more people survive cancer making it vitally important that support and advice on other areas of their life – not just clinical – is available.”

The new survival guide will be made available to cancer patients and their families at the hospital, and it is also available to download from the Trust website at www.gwh.nhs.uk, under Cancer Services.