Oxford workshop eases fears before chemo for cancer patients

The Getting Started programme at Maggie’s Oxford, launched in collaboration with the Churchill Hospital, aims to better prepare and support patients before chemotherapy or immunotherapy begins.

In its first three months, 170 cancer patients and 132 friends or family members attended the sessions.

Of those, 98 per cent felt the information provided was ‘just right,’ while 95 per cent rated the sessions as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’.

Jane Willoughby, who has mucosal melanoma, said: “The session provided valuable information and reassurance ahead of my treatment, and a helpful introduction to the ongoing support Maggie’s offers.

“For us, Maggie’s has become a safe haven we know we can return to.”

The sessions have also eased pressures on NHS staff by reducing the need for extended pre-treatment explanations, with patients arriving better informed and more relaxed.

Liz Mellish, oncology nurse at the Churchill Hospital, said: “The sessions at Maggie’s have made a difference to both patients and staff, and we can really feel their positive impact in the Day Treatment Unit.

“The feedback has been incredibly positive, and patients appear much more relaxed when they come in for their first treatment.

“It is such a daunting time for people, and anything that can help ease that experience can only be a positive.

“Now that we’ve been running the sessions for a few months, it’s hard to imagine why we didn’t do this sooner.”

The workshop includes practical advice about what to expect during treatment, likely side effects, and available support.

It takes place at the Maggie’s centre on the grounds of the Churchill Hospital and includes a bespoke video featuring clinical staff, Maggie’s personnel, and patients currently undergoing treatment.

Claire Marriot, centre head at Maggie’s Oxford, said: “Being diagnosed with cancer is frightening and starting treatment can be overwhelming, which is why Getting Started is such an important part of the support we offer at Maggie’s.

“Getting Started brings together the clinical expertise from staff at Churchill Hospital and the professional team at Maggie’s to help people feel more informed about their treatment and what lies ahead, and less alone with their worries and concerns.”

Maggie’s is calling for emotional and practical support to be embedded in NHS cancer care nationwide.

Maggie’s Oxford is based in the Patricia Thompson Building on the Churchill Hospital grounds and provides free, no-referral-needed emotional and practical support to anyone affected by cancer.

The charity, which began in Edinburgh in 1996, now operates 27 centres across the UK, offering professional advice and a supportive environment at every stage of cancer.