Grandmother pledges Macmillan support following Trust help

A Macmillan nurse working for the Trust has been described as an ‘angel’ by a grandmother fighting lung cancer.

Macmillan nurse Lisa McKinlay began offering support to Joan Reynolds, 73, from Barnsley, after a cancerous tumour was found growing in her lungs.

Joan is now pledging to support the Macmillan Barnsley Appeal to raise £150,000 to fund services for people affected by cancer and ensure health professionals like Lisa can continue providing invaluable support.

Joan said: “When you are sitting there and you hear that word ‘cancer’, the shock and the lost feeling you get, it’s indescribable. They told me it had spread into my right lung and wasn’t curable, but it was treatable.

“Having Lisa there beside me, explaining everything in a language I can understand, is lovely. I call her ‘my angel’. It was so good to have her there when I was first diagnosed to talk to about my feelings and how frightened I was.”

Lisa helped Joan in a number of ways, including referring her to the Macmillan Benefits Advice Service which enabled her to receive Disability Living Allowance to pay for things such as hospital car parking fees and travel to appointments.

Joan’s cancer is incurable, but successful chemotherapy has seen the tumours shrink.

Joan added: “I’m having my family take me places I’ve always wanted to go. Recently we went to Gloucestershire to see where my grandma was born. I’m trying to stay positive.”

The Trust’s Macmillan team provide support and advice for patients with complex palliative care needs in their own home, care homes and in community hospitals 365 days a year. They were recognised for their efforts at the Trust’s 2012 Excellence Awards.

To make a contribution to the Macmillan Barnsley Appeal, contact Steve Loane, local Area Fundraising Manager on 07801 307045.