Life with cancer and other illnesses can be stressful when needing support beyond medical needs. That’s where the Thames Cancer Support Trust comes in. The entirely volunteer-run local group offers assistance with anything one might need, from petrol and food vouchers, accommodation assistance for medical treatment, help with unexpected expenses like school-related costs, counselling, therapeutic massages, and more.
Despite the name, the trust’s members say they are not solely for cancer sufferers – they offer help to anyone with life-shortening illnesses, such as motor neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease, and chronic end stage respiratory, kidney and heart diseases. Their services are available to patients and their families across the Hauraki Plains and the Thames Coast.
“We try to find all the gaps that there might be for people, we take referrals from district nurses, GPs, and they can self-refer to us as well,” secretary Lynne Wood said.
“Often the support isn’t just [for] the cancer sufferer, it’s the family and the supporters of those people. They kind of get missed out on that whole thing,” treasurer Graham Higgs added.
The trust was formed in 1997, by a group of district nurses and patients’ families who saw the need for additional support. Since then, the charity has assisted where it can. It receives no public funding; its work is made possible through donations, bequests and countless volunteer hours. So far this year, they’ve helped an estimated 20 to 30 people.
“Sometimes when you’re talking to someone, they don’t ask. But we see what they need and say, ‘would it help if we paid for that or we did something?’” co-chair Maureen Hill said.
“[We had] a grandmother looking after this young grandchild who’s desperately ill and in Starship, and she does not have much money. We’ve done petrol vouchers there, we’ve also done groceries for her.”
Another family also needed extensive assistance over several months for their eight children when the mother became terminally ill, Maureen said.
“They were the most beautiful family, and those children were beautifully turned out. They were very self-sufficient in a lot of ways, but they were struggling,” she said.
“We did give cash, but we also gave petrol, school uniforms, that sort of thing. A couple of us used to go up and visit her in hospital, too. And one of the incredible things was her 10-year-old daughter, towards the end, stayed in her hospital room right through, even at night.
It’s actually really humbling when you have that sort of encounter with a family. It’s rewarding, and awfully sad.”
“They’ve got so many expenses,” Lynne added. “Getting to and fro, extra accommodation, if we can help out with some of the basics we’re more than happy to do that.”
The trust currently consists of nine active committee members, with behind-the-scenes support from local businesses and clubs. Along with offering financial and emotional support, the trust has a number of other initiatives. It runs a monthly coffee meeting at the Thames Croquet Club where those who are experiencing or caring for someone with a life threatening illness can meet with others in a similar position. It is involved with Men’s Space, Look Good Feel Better, Daffodil Day collections for the Cancer Society, and liaising with the district’s Cancer Society nurse. It also promotes Timeout, a national charity which provides holiday getaways for people with terminal illnesses and their families.
“[We’re] trying to get the message out to people that we’re there to support them,” Graham said.
“We struggle to make people realise we exist, and there could well be people out there that are struggling without any help.”
“Just a phone call and we can set a whole cascade of things in place.”
Thames Community Cancer Support Trust, contact thscommunitycancer@gmail.com or Maureen 07 868 9764 to find out more or get involved as a volunteer.
