A North East cancer charity has received a £3,000 from the Newcastle Building Society - but its chief exec has warned that without more financial support from around the community the 40-year-old organisation "might not be here in a year's time".
Coping with Cancer - based in Cramlington - works with cancer patients across our region to offer "emotional and psychosocial support" to people undergoing cancer treatment. As hundreds of people who had previously put off going to the doctor with cancer symptoms are diagnosed, the charity has never seen demand like it does today, chief exec Maggie Bailey said.
She said the £3,000 gift from the building society would be vital in enabling it to put on an extra 300 counselling appointments for people with cancer - but that she was spending every day on funding applications and fundraising to plug gaps caused by the impact of Covid-19. The charity is planning to launch a major fundraising campaign later in the year as part of plans to mark its 40th anniversary.
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"As there have been delays to treatment for many due to the pandemic, people's emotional and psychological needs are much greater, too. It's such a shock to have to deal with." she said. "We're about people knowing that there's somewhere to go, whether someone needs 'me time' or to have some counselling.
"Very often someone can't talk to clinical staff, perhaps they can't talk to their families and then they come to us and have a chat. Quite often when you have that first face-to-face chat with someone they burst into tears. That cuts across cancers - it's not particular to your age or your social background.
"We have been around 40 years picking up the pieces. We are seeing lots and lots more people getting in touch - but unfortunately that's meaning our waiting lists are getting longer too."
She said that with funding streams having been reduced, the charity can't double its services, but it is seeing double the demand. Around 800 people working with the charity each month.
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Maggie added: "We are in a perfect storm - facing climbing a mountain while there's a tsunami behind us. More people are being referred for cancer tests and of those people more are unfortunately being diagnosed at stage three or stage four where as they'd previously have been caught at stage one or stage two. They are getting worse news, and that's a bigger shock and a bigger trauma.
"With this money we can have a 100 counselling appointments. It's amazing as we really need the funding. We have suffered in the last two years and are now down to critical reserves. Our organisation might not be hear in a year's time if we don't get more money. Even somebody donating five pounds helps."
Stewart Nicol, area manager at Newcastle Building Society, added: "Coping With Cancer’s invaluable support has a terrific impact on the well-being of hundreds of North East people and their families, and at the time of greatest need, they’ve stepped up to make sure that that support remained available whenever it was needed."
Coping With Cancer offers counselling services, along with complimentary therapies like acupuncture, aromatherapy and reiki. To support the charity, visit copingwithcancer.org.uk/.
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