Sue Turner spoke of the support she had received from Joining the Dots over four years.
Sue is a breast cancer survivor who received her diagnoses one week after the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 first started. She also lives with Fibromyalgia, a long-term chronic condition which causes mobility issues and means she is reliant on her wheelchair.
She said: “I was diagnosed with cancer at what might have been the worst possible time. Any cancer diagnosis is scary no matter what, but because of the Covid-19 restrictions I suddenly became very isolated, and I felt really alone, really afraid and really lost.
“It was at this time that I first spoke to Joining the Dots Coordinator, Claire Welsh. At first, I didn’t know what to expect but Claire was someone to talk to, she was always there. If she said: ‘I’ll ring you next week’ or ‘I’ll ring you in a fortnight’, she always did. It was wonderful to know that there was somebody at the other end of the phone for me. Under normal circumstances, the small tumour would have been removed within two weeks of the diagnosis. However this wasn’t possible due to Covid-19 restrictions.”
The combined team at Joining the Dots have a wealth of local knowledge and can provide advice and support for lots of practical things such as improving emotional resilience and signposting to services and groups that can offer a wide variety of support.
Sue continued: “I went through a very dark six months whilst the tumour was still there. Having Claire there to talk to was amazing for me. “I found it very hard to get out there and contact other people and organisations, but I did manage to access some services that really helped. If I ever had a problem making the initial contact, Claire would always offer to ring them first for me.”
Claire said: “Sue accessed support from Stronger Together and Wellbeing for Life worked with her to ensure she received the benefits and disability support she was entitled to. She also attended Day Hospice at Willowburn Hospice which she found hugely beneficial.”
Sue said: “I’ve met people and been to places that have really helped me through the ups and downs, particularly during the six months before my surgery.”
The tumour was removed once Covid restrictions were lifted but Sue still had the follow up treatment of chemotherapy, radiotherapy to cope with.
Sue explained how her need for support was just as important then: “Claire was always there for me at the end of the phone if I needed her. Each time we spoke she’d remind me: ‘don’t forget I’m here if you need to call me’.
I never did but just knowing that she was there, that feeling of security, I can’t emphasise how important that was. I continue to receive support from different organisations who I’ve encountered over the four years and am now enjoying my other areas of interest like crafting, music, opera and languages – my experience with Joining the Dots has given me the confidence to get out there.
“Joining the Dots is just ‘tops’, I can’t thank Claire and the people who helped me get through this enough – I can now say ‘I’m a breast cancer survivor’.”
Claire said: “I’ve supported Sue since her initial diagnosis in 2020 but today is the first time we’ve met face to face. It’s wonderful to finally meet in person, chat about how Joining the Dots has made a difference for her and to hear her say those words, “I’m a breast cancer survivor”.
Find out more about cancer support from Joining the Dots here.
