August Newsletter - A busy summer at ACS

Hear Eilidh's Story

Eilidh was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) in 2016 when she was 14. And then when she was 17 in 2019, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Eilidh’s thyroid cancer recurred in 2023 and she underwent treatment which she is now recovering well from. Her and her family have however recently been celebrating her being "5 years leukaemia free", and she is now officially discharged!

Eilidh’s advice to other people affected by cancer is "One of my favourite Eilidh modified quotes is 'One step at a time, even if it is a tiptoe'. Always keep hope, because in time you will get there. When being faced with cancer, the world can become dark but your body will continue to fight each day… and 'There is always light at the end of the tunnel, even if it is a pinhole.'"

Eilidh has been accessing support at Ayrshire Cancer Support: "I started receiving counselling through Ayrshire Cancer Support in November 2023, and it was fate - as around my third session, I had been at hospital in the morning and received the news of my thyroid cancer relapse. The realisation of what I was to go through hit me like a train. My body and soul were tired, and being honest, there was not much fight left in me after all these years. I struggled to express my emotions which led to me having breakdowns and really struggling to process the cancer journey I was about to start again. The counselling helped me massively, I felt heard and supported when everything was up in the air. I discovered new techniques to help me remain calm and feel like I understand my brain a little better."

Eilidh we’re delighted by your news and are in awe of your strength and determination. We want to thank you for sharing your story.

Connecting people affected by myeloma

Our Myeloma Peer Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month in our Kilmarnock Centre from 2-3pm.

The meetings enable patients with a diagnosis of myeloma and those close to them, to get together for a chat and coffee. People with a diagnosis often attend hospital appointments and see their clinical teams on an individual basis, but having the opportunity to meet up, talk to others and share experiences with people that "get it" can be invaluable. The group is led by Myeloma UK affiliated volunteer Ann Wilson and speakers often attend to share information on specific topics. Guest speakers have included various medical professionals who specialise in haematology oncology, Myeloma UK and our team here at Ayrshire Cancer Support who share information on the services we offer. The guest speaker agenda is decided by the group, based on areas of interest.

If you would like specialist information on myeloma, you can pick this up in our Kilmarnock Centre, or at the Kyle Chemotherapy Unit in Ayr Hospital’s Ailsa Campus. You don’t need to register to attend this group, just drop in. For more information, contact us or check out the What’s On section of our website.

Meet the Team

Lauran joined us in July to take up the role of Cancer Support Specialist.

Our Cancer Support Specialists are registered health professionals who have experience working in oncology, and will provide the highest level of cancer information and support to people affected by cancer that access our services.

Lauran is a cancer nurse by background and brings a wealth of experience from roles in Oncology Inpatients at Crosshouse, Acute Oncology in Australia, the Ayrshire Hospice, the community, and most recently at the national charity Blood Cancer UK.

"Although I have only been in my role a short time, I have been made really welcome and have loved being part of such a caring team. Providing support to individuals & families who are sometimes going through the most difficult times of their lives is an incredible privilege.　 Having nursed in cancer care from the beginning of my career I can honestly say moving to a local charity where I can help make a difference to local families feels like the perfect fit."

Ayr Centre Progress

While there remains a great deal of work to be carried out, particularly in the original part of the building, it is fantastic to watch this new part of our centre come together and to be at a point where we are starting to plan what we will want the inside to look like.

Once again, a sincere thank you to everyone who has supported us to get to this stage, and to everyone who continues to fundraise for this build. We hope you are as excited as we are following along with the progress!

Summer Holidays Fun

Our children and young people service supports those aged 5-25 affected by or bereaved from cancer. We continue to support young people one to one, but have enhanced our group offer over the summer holidays. These events are an opportunity for young people and their families to connect - and importantly, have fun!

So far, we’ve been to:

• New Cumnock Outdoor Pool for a float session and picnic on 10th July
• North Ayrshire Active Schools Fun Day on 18th July
• Our Outdoor Family Day at Fullarton Woods on 24th July

We have plans to head to Wellwood Alpacas in Muirkirk for both a Meet & Greet, or a trek on the 16th August. If you’re keen to secure a place, contact cyp@ayrshirecs.org It will be a brilliant day!

Some feedback from our recent activity days:

"Amazing day. I loved the hammocks and the collecting the coloured forestry for the plates. Can't wait for the next day out."

"We felt so welcome and it was nice to see that we are not alone with all that's going on. The kids loved it so much they want to go back."

Pink Ribbon Foundation

As well as the generous support from our local communities and business, we rely on funding from grant making organisations to meet our income targets each year.

In June 2024 The Pink Ribbon Foundation awarded Ayrshire Cancer Support £4000 to support the development and delivery of a ‘Living with Uncertainty’ support programme, which will be available for people with metastatic or non-curable cancer.

We are very grateful for the support of the Pink Ribbon Foundation which will fund specialist training for our therapeutic staff team so that we have the in-house skills to deliver the highest level of psychological care to individuals dealing with the impact of cancer.