It's good to know - the new link-up helping prostate cancer patients prepare for radiotherapy

People having radiotherapy at Swansea’s very own cancer centre are getting extra care and support before they start their treatment.

The South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital has teamed up with the neighbouring Maggie’s centre to offer Getting Started with Radiotherapy sessions for prostate cancer patients.

It gives them the opportunity to learn more about what radiotherapy involves and what physical preparations they need to take.

They can also find out more about the wider support Maggie’s can provide and have the opportunity to ask questions or share experiences.

One of those to have attended is retired teacher Alan Short, (pictured above with Rebecca Lloyd).

He said: “It definitely put my mind at rest, and I would recommend anybody who is having radiotherapy for prostate cancer attends.”

The South West Wales Cancer Centre, SWWCC, is run by Swansea Bay University Health Board and provides a range of non-surgical NHS treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

A major fundraising appeal called Going the Extra Mile for Cancer has been launched to coincide with its 20^th anniversary this year – see the end of this media release for further details.

Meanwhile, national charity Maggie’s offers a range of support, including help with money worries, managing stress, exercise and more. Its South Wales centre is located on the Singleton site.

The collaboration between the two means that patients are not just getting first-class clinical treatment but holistic support too.

Prostate cancer sessions started last winter after Maggie’s, which runs them in its other centres, approached SWWCC with the idea.

The sessions are led on behalf of Swansea Bay by Rebecca Lloyd, previously a review radiographer in the radiotherapy department who is now training to become a consultant radiographer.

Once fully qualified, Rebecca will be able to compliment the work currently undertaken by oncologists.

She will specialise in urology, initially focusing on the large number of prostate cancer patients across South West Wales.

These patients must take certain preparations, such as ensuring they have a full bladder and empty bowels, before attending for a CT scan that is used to plan their radiotherapy.

“What we found is that some of them arrived for their scan but had not prepared properly,” said Rebecca. “This can cause a delay, and they were getting a lot of anxiety and worry about it.

“Once they get diagnosed, and once they know that they're going to come for radiotherapy, they can come up to Maggie’s.

“We go through a presentation with them about everything they might need to know about radiotherapy, side effects management, things like pelvic floor exercises.

“A big part for us is to talk about making sure they're hydrated, and their bowels are sufficiently prepared, so they don't get any delays in their treatment.

“And then Maggie’s will do a short talk with them, to tell them what they can offer in terms of psychological and other support.”

They are group sessions, but the patients have the opportunity to ask one-to-one questions.

If they have something they want to discuss in private, Rebecca takes their phone number and calls them later.

“It's to help reduce anxiety,” she said. “To give them a better understanding of the treatment and what it involves.

“And it gives them the opportunity to talk to other men who are about to start exactly the same process.

“So these men are all in exactly the same point of treatment. One week I was there for two hours because there was six men, and they were just all then talking about their stories and their situations.

“So, definitely there are psychological benefits for these men as well.”

Mr Short, from Swansea, was diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer earlier this year. He has undergone months of hormone therapy and four weeks of radiotherapy. He is now doing well.

He attended the session at Maggie’s as well as one of the regular open evenings held in Singleton’s radiotherapy department.

“The talk in Maggie’s was very informative and explained what to expect in the pre-scan and radiotherapy,” he said. “Rebecca was very good with her explanations.

“The Q&A session was particularly useful as it was good to speak to a real person rather than read information from a booklet or the internet.

“Between that and the open evening, I knew what to expect when I went in for the radiotherapy. I was a lot less anxious.

“It definitely put my mind at rest, and I would recommend anybody who is having radiotherapy for prostate cancer attends this talk.”

Tara White, Maggie’s South Wales Centre Head, said: “It's been great to work alongside Rebecca, Nicki and the radiotherapy team and we're delighted to be able to offer these sessions in Maggie's.

“We know how important it is for people with cancer to feel well informed about their treatment. Getting started offers  a valuable opportunity for people with cancer and their family to learn more about the treatment their due to receive.

“Delivering the sessions in Maggie's offers the additional benefit of introducing those who attend to the centre, and the wealth of support which is available here.

“We're looking forward to establishing the head and neck sessions and continuing to work alongside the radiotherapy team.”

The South West Wales Cancer Centre, SWWCC, is run by Swansea Bay University Health Board and provides a range of lifesaving NHS treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.

It celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year and a fundraising appeal has been launched by Swansea Bay Health Charity, the health board’s official charity, to commemorate the landmark.

The appeal, Going the Extra Mile for Cancer, will support the thousands of patients from the Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda areas who are cared for there every year, as well as relatives and staff.

If this story has inspired you to support Going the Extra Mile for Cancer, you can donate here. Find out more about the appeal, and read the latest news stories, here.