Preston cancer clinic helping chemotherapy patients gets £9,963 funding boost
A specialist Preston clinic helping cancer patients manage painful side-effects of chemotherapy has secured another year of funding after reporting significant improvements among those receiving treatment.
A Preston clinic launched last year with funding from Rosemere Cancer Foundation to help cancer patients struggling with peripheral neuropathy (PN), a potential side-effect of some chemotherapy treatments, is to receive the charity’s support for a second year following significantly positive results.
Rosemere Cancer Foundation has awarded CancerHelp Preston, based at Vine House in Cromwell Road, Ribbleton, £9,963 to continue its weekly, day-long PN Clinic for a further 48 weeks.
The decision came after CancerHelp general manager Jeanette Smalley presented results from 194 clinic sessions. These saw 23 patients each receive a course of eight treatments combining aromatherapy and reflexology massage, while one further patient received 10.
All patients were asked to complete evaluation questionnaires before starting treatment, at week three and at the end of their course. The questionnaires revealed that every patient reported significant improvements in their pain and discomfort scores, with some reporting a complete reversal of symptoms.
Jeanette explained: “Peripheral Neuropathy is a debilitatingly painful condition, which can happen after some cancer treatments. We are seeing more patients struggling with PN as a result of newer treatments such as Paclitaxel, Carboplatin/Cisplatin, Vincristine and Oxaliplatin with more than one in 10 patients on these medicines experiencing PN.
“Having run a PN specific clinic last year, we now have the evaluated evidence to show that massage can be effective in managing PN and may also reduce anxiety and depression, which can heighten pain. It may also help to reduce fall risk, improving mobility by pumping oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs to improve circulation while reducing sensations of tingling, burning, other nerve pain, spasms and cramping.”
Jeanette added: “Other benefits of massage include enhancing immunity by stimulating lymph flow, the body’s natural defence system, and releasing endorphins, the body’s own painkillers.
“We are very grateful to Rosemere Cancer Foundation for its funding, which enables us to continue running our dedicated weekly PN Clinic, another benefit of which has been to position our general Complementary Therapy Services more around symptom management and any help in managing ongoing issues after a cancer diagnosis makes a difference to patients’ quality of life.”
Dan Hill, chief officer of Rosemere Cancer Foundation and head of charities for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The PN Clinic’s results speak for themselves and made this project compelling to support.”
Rosemere Cancer Foundation fundraises to bring world class cancer treatments and services to cancer patients being treated at eight hospitals throughout Lancashire and South Cumbria, as well as at Rosemere Cancer Centre. The cancer centre is the region’s specialist cancer treatment and radiotherapy centre for the two counties.
The charity funds the latest in cutting-edge equipment, clinical research, staff training and innovative services and initiatives that the NHS cannot afford in order to make patients' cancer journey more effective, comfortable and stress-free. For further information on its work, including how to make a donation, visit www.rosemere.org.uk