Clan Cancer Support is
providing its support services at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH),
enabling children and families affected by cancer to access free emotional
support and NHS aligned complimentary therapies.
A dedicated team from the leading
cancer support charity will be based within the children’s oncology ward and
the day clinic, with trained therapists providing bedside treatments including
reiki and oncology massage to alleviate discomfort and promote wellbeing.
Professionally qualified
practitioners from Clan’s Children and Family Services (CFS) team will also be
on hand to offer therapeutic support to children and young people in the ward,
providing a safe space to express and navigate any feelings about their
diagnosis.
Trained volunteers will also
be available to provide Clan’s renowned listening and support service to any
visiting family or friends who are impacted by a cancer diagnosis and to
signpost them to services available within their communities
The charity has been working
in partnership with RACH since 2019, alongside Young Lives vs Cancer and The
Archie Foundation who are permanently based within the hospital, to identify
and establish Clan’s complementary role as a support for patients and
visitors.
Kay Johnston, head of cancer
support services at Clan Cancer Support, said: “Clan has built strong bonds
with the staff at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital over the years and we are
delighted to strengthen this partnership through the inhouse provision of our
services to patients and their loved ones.
“Our skilled team caters to
the needs of each individual, offering emotional support to reduce anxiety and
stress, specialist therapeutic support to enable young people to build
resilience and promote positive family communication and complementary
therapies which align with those available on the NHS, designed to support the
physical and emotional side effects of treatment.
“We look forward to working
with the staff, patients their families and visitors at the hospital to ensure
we provide the best possible continuation of care and strengthen their ability
to cope with the effects of a cancer diagnosis.”
Clan has committed to
attending the hospital every three weeks with further support available at Clan’s
eleven community bases across the north-east, Moray, Orkney and Shetland.
Clan has been providing
emotional and practical support to people affected by a cancer diagnosis for
almost forty years. The charity offers a range of services including listening
and support, children and family services, complementary therapies and health
and wellbeing expertise.
For more information about
Clan’s services and for details on when the charity will be attending RACH,
please visit www.clancancersupport.org
See pictured (L-R):
Catriona Epton, Chidiogo Olisaka, Lisa Maxwell and Naomi
Murdo from Clan.