Somerset Cancer Care is an organisation comprising Friends and Volunteers

Friends

Our Friends are a sociable, friendly group of people, many of whom have themselves been touched by cancer. They first got together on our behalf in October 2000, to help with fundraising and publicity events.

Somerset Cancer Care receives no statutory funding, and therefore relies entirely on grants, donations and our own fund-raising efforts.  The Friends have therefore become a highly valued part of the whole organisation, deeply involved in raising awareness, fund-raising and supporting us in many ways, and having fun doing it!

Meetings are very informal, held approximately once every two months in someone’s home.  So far they have organised many events ranging from coffee mornings, street collections to a concert by Bertie’s Big Band.

Volunteers

A team of very special people, most of whom have experience of cancer, either themselves or in someone close to them. All are deeply committed to supporting cancer patients and their families and carers, by giving clients an opportunity to talk about what is happening to them and to voice their anxieties and fears, and by giving helpful information.

Volunteers are carefully selected and professionally trained in listening skills, self awareness, confidentiality, and the specifics of supporting cancer patients and their families and carers. We welcome applications from men and women of any age.  The training involves on average one day a week for 16 weeks.

All volunteers are trained to offer hand massage and guided relaxation/visualisation, both of which help to reduce anxiety and pain. Only qualified therapists are permitted to offer our other approved complementary therapies, namely aromatherapy, reflexology and healing. All volunteers receive the same training, whether they wish to help at Musgrove Oncology outpatients or our Support Groups.  Qualified complementary therapists also have to commit to our training programme.

We periodically hold study days and conferences for our volunteers and partner associations. We engage speakers and trainers from a variety of professional backgrounds, including, GPs, hospital specialists such as palliative care nurses and psychologists.

For more information on a conference:

Spirituality and Dying Conference 11th November 2006, Cleve Hotel Wellington

For more information on becoming a Friend or Volunteer:

If you are interested in becoming a Friend or Volunteer, please telephone 0800 731 4608