Teen cancer patients get their support nurse thanks to local charity
Local medical charity Cobalt has raised over £26,000 to provide a specialist nurse for teenagers and young adults with cancer in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. A national campaign of ‘match-giving’ to charity called The Big Give enabled them to double donations made to them online over a seven-day period. The Clive and Sylvia Richards Charity kindly provided the match funding.
The campaign launched on #GivingTuesday, 28th November at 12 noon and ran Tuesday 5th December at 12 noon.
Julia Jenkins, Head of Fundraising, Cobalt said: “This is fantastic news and will help us to continue to fund a Teenage and Young Adults with Cancer (TYA) Specialist Nurse based from Cheltenham General Hospital. Cobalt have supported the post since 2011. These specialist nursing roles ensure young people are supported throughout their cancer journey, helping them to move forward with their lives”.
Megan Willsher Cobalt Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Specialist Nurse said: “The money will help continue to fund this specialist nursing post. Young people will now be able to continue to receive emotional and practical support at a most difficult time in their lives having been diagnosed with cancer. Having such a serious illness at such a young age can turn lives upside down and this group have very different needs to an adult”.
Megan supported Jordan Mustoe, when at age 24 she was diagnosed with Leukaemia: “Being diagnosed with Leukaemia was a massive shock, my life changed as soon as I found out and I knew I had a massive fight on my hands. The impact was huge, family and friends all had to get their heads around this. Megan was a massive support while I was very poorly. She would always come and see me and cheer me up. I struggled to fill in forms to claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Megan was an enormous help. She also told me about the charities that were about for poorly people like me, who would provide money for things like new clothes as I had lost a lot of weight. If I had a question about anything, I could call or text her, whatever day it was and I would always see her lovely face at my door within the hour with the answer to my question. She is fantastic”.
Hannah, is also being supported by Megan and at 22 was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system. A specific type of white blood cell helps identify the disease. She explains what that support has meant to her here in this video https://cobalthealth.wistia.com/medias/tq38fi2n0e
Photo attached: Jordan Mustoe