A new online hub to help people across Scotland with cancer launches in St Andrews this weekend with help from Provost of Fife Jim Leishman.
Cancer Card is an online resource that brings services, support and information together in one place.
And it’s being launched with a special celebration lunch and fundraiser at the Fairmont in St Andrews today, hosted by the Provost.
Founder Jen Hardy told us the poignant reason behind her drive to set up the charity.
Jen received a shocking diagnosis of stage four, incurable, metastatic breast cancer in October 2017.
She’d gone to the GP with a sore throat and raspy voice.
But when it hadn’t cleared up weeks later, she’d returned and was sent for a scan.
Out of the blue diagnosis
She admits: “I didn’t think anything of it. At the time I was working at Heriott Watt University in Edinburgh and had to fly out to Dubai for work.
“I was having dinner with a colleague and got a phone call from my specialist.
“I was told it turned out the results of the scan revealed I had advanced breast cancer.
“It was totally out of the blue and I didn’t see it coming.”
“I was in total disbelief – it was surreal.
“In four hours, I was back on a plane home to my husband and then straight into the breast cancer clinic at Western General. They were fantastic.”
Jen was given chemotherapy and radiotherapy, admitting at the time she felt like she was living from one three month scan to another.
Hope comes again
After living that way for three years after diagnosis, her oncologist gave her hope again.
“My oncologist said to me one day ‘I think you’ll be here for a wee while yet’.
“At that point I thought – maybe I can look forward now.”
Jen is still on daily drugs and makes trips to the hospital every few weeks for Herceptin treatment.
But she says she feels “incredibly lucky” to be around.
She pays tribute to the care from the NHS and the Maggie’s Centre staff who’ve helped her through.
And now she’s turned her focus to helping others get the help they need to guide them through their cancer journey.
“I’d always thought, isn’t it crazy there are all these cancer support charities out there but the information needs to be in one place.”
“So that’s how the concept of Cancer Card was born!
“And now we’re going live and launching and I’m really excited!”
How can cancer card help?
Cancer Card is an online community hub.
It provides support and information for cancer patients, partners, families, friends, employers and professionals.
Included in the information are videos and blogs from people who’ve been through cancer.
Jen adds: “For example, I’ve written about 10 things I’d recommend people put in their chemo bag.
“My sister has written about looking after yourself if you’re a carer or helper.”
It also acts as a directory with key contacts for all UK cancer charities and support services.
Easing the burden on the NHS
Jen says ultimately, she wants Cancer Card to help the NHS.
Her aim is to see it supporting everyone who is affected by cancer, enabling them to directly access relevant information, services, support and products.
Jen adds: “We hope it will alleviate the burden on the NHS. Cancer Card is really simple and hopefully it will be a good resource for people.
“I’m nervous but I can’t wait to share it.”
Conversation