Volunteers recognised for supporting people with Cancer

Three volunteers have been given awards for their work supporting those affected by cancer.

Carol James who volunteers for the East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen Macmillan Community Cancer Information and Support Service and is based at Burnley General Hospital, has been awarded Volunteer of the Year.

The award, on behalf of the East Lancashire Hospital Trust’s STAR Awards 2017, was for Carol’s work in supporting the establishment of the support service across the Burnley General Hospital site last year.

Colleagues Roma Singh and Susan Bettany, who are based at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, have both been given Macmillan long-service awards for their five years dedicated service at the hospital’s Information point.

All three are part of a team of committed Macmillan volunteers, many of whom have themselves been affected by cancer, who support drop-in information and support sessions across the two East Lancashire Hospital Trust sites.

They work closely with the Trust cancer teams as part of the local cancer patient pathway to help people affected by cancer to access relevant, quality assured information and support in their local communities.

The Macmillan Community Cancer Information and Support Service is a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Council, the Clinical Commissioning Groups for East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

It provides a wide range of information and support including helping people to tackle the emotional effects of cancer, giving advice on how to discuss the disease with children, accessing benefits and practical support and advice to carers.

Sayyed Osman, director for Localities and Prevention at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

“The work these volunteers do is extremely important and I’m delighted that their hard work has been recognised. Cancer affects millions of families across the UK so it is vital that we have the support services in plan to help people deal with what is an extremely difficult time in their lives.”

Susan Abraham-Jones, Volunteer Services Coordinator at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said:

“We are extremely proud that our volunteers have been chosen to receive these awards; all three, go above and beyond what is expected of them in their volunteer roles.  They are conscientious and dependable, and we feel that the awards are very well deserved.”

The information support service is open Monday to Friday, from 9am until 5pm, except public and bank holidays.

For more information call 01254 585535 or email cancer.information@blackburn.gov.uk