Cancer fight leads to thriving new group

A new group has been set up to help South Holland residents with cancer ‘Survive and Thrive’.

It’s come after Charlotte Astley found there were few places in the district to talk about her battles.

At the moment Survive and Thrive is a WhatsApp group, but will soon have their first meeting and are looking to set up a Facebook group.

“It’s all very much in its infancy, and is about supporting those with or who have had cancer. The health services are brilliant but much of it is in Lincoln, Boston or Grantham.

“After many treatments you’re exhausted and some aren’t able to drive at all so you can’t go there for sessions.

“This is about supporting each other through different stages of the treatment.

“For example there can be very little after treatment while there’s lots of little things you wouldn’t think about, like many chemotherapy patients wish they’d had their eyebrows done afterwards and many don’t know about the burning skin and how to help that.

“We can offer advice to others from one patient to another and be there to support each other.”

A mum-of-two to a 16 and 14-year-old, Charlotte (50) was herself diagnosed in May 2021.

She’s also encouraging others to get all symptoms checked.

“I just had a heat rash that went in and out,” she said. “There were no hard lumps.

“It wasn’t something I thought I should be bothering the NHS about.

“But I was persuaded to do so and I’m so glad I did as they found an 8cm tumour.

“The health care was fantastic, but it does make you want to give something back.

“Myself and my children went on Christmas Day to help Vanessa Browning with her lunch for those who might otherwise be on their own and we all loved that.”

She approached Mark Le Sage, whose charity the Rightside Trust has also launched its own Prostate Cancer campaign recently.

Mark said: “It stemmed from supporting Charlotte over many months.

“There are a few more steps to go through but by the end of February I intend to have set up an online focus group with the help of Carys from marketing legends Specky and Ginge Ltd followed by a face-to-face coffee morning in March which will take place at Hub In Hub Out supported by Project St Thomas.

“It’s all about helping people. The group can pass their knowledge on and you can ask questions which otherwise you might Google, and you should never Google.”

Contact Charlotte for further information on 07583 893162.