“I think one of the top things I hear is navigating people's assumptions. It can be simple things: I've heard multiple times when people have presented to care with their partner, to be with them during support or during the chemo round, and rather than just someone asking ‘Who have you brought with you today’, they make assumptions that that can't possibly be their partner because they have the same gender. So, it must be your sister or it must be your son. And this obviously can be quite invalidating. And then also, I think what people sometimes forget, although I'm sure us cancer patients are acutely aware, is that when you're going through this, not only is there the balance of your mortality and how much fight energy do I really have, and do I really want to take this fight on right now? But also there's a power dynamic as well where you've got people who are providing your care and you're like “Do I really want to create friction in this relationship by correcting them again and again and again and coming out again and again and again?” Stewart Stewart, CEO of the organisation OUTpatients, and Nancy, who has lymphoma, talk to us in our latest podcast episode Finding a safe space. Listen here 👉 https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/finding-safe-space-listen-our-latest-podcast #Lymphoma #BloodCancer #LGBTQIA (fb)

The National Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Audit (NNHLA) has published its second annual 'State of the Nation' report today. These findings are shared with individual cancer services, hospitals, and the NHS to drive improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The report makes key recommendations: 🟣 Reducing emergency diagnoses: organisations need to review pathways for referral and diagnosis to make them quicker and smoother, to reduce the number of emergency diagnoses. 🟣 Faster treatment by reviewing causes of delays in starting treatment at hospitals: making sure people with high-grade NHL start systemic anti-cancer therapy within 62 days of being referred, and reducing delays in starting radiotherapy after systemic anti-cancer therapy, when it is needed. 🟣 Improve access to clinical trials: understanding why some people are not enrolled in trials and helping to improve access to trials. 🟣 Better data: hospitals are being asked to improve their records, especially around diagnosis, treatment, and support. Patients and patient charities are key to the audit's work, with Lymphoma Action playing a significant role. “We hope that our continued involvement helps the audit’s findings make a meaningful difference to those affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma”. Ropinder Gill, CEO Read more: https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/national-non-hodgkin-lymphoma-audit-annual-report #Lymphoma #NonHodgkinsLymphoma #BloodCancer (fb)