Wendy's Story

Wendy had just turned 74 when she was diagnosed with cancer, and was referred to KCA by her GP with very low mood and an increasing sense of hopelessness.

The KCA therapist quickly recognised that Wendy was very isolated – she had no family around her and had cut herself off from her friends in the local Church community. She was also struggling with a daily commute for treatment that had become increasingly exhausting, and she was beginning to think that it was a waste of time anyway. The therapist recognised that he would need to use a combination of skills to help Wendy to feel heard and understand and be able to develop strategies to help her to cope with her situation.

Through experiencing therapist’s empathic approach, Wendy began to look outwards and recognised that her friends and Church community were eager to give her support. She started attending her local services again, and before long, a rota of friends had arranged to give Wendy a lift for her treatment, which eased the pressure on her enormously.

The therapist also signposted her towards the Macmillan nurse through the Oncology Department, and he was able to provide very practical and emotional support for Wendy.

The outcome was that Wendy felt able to continue with her treatment and felt much less isolated than previously. She has days when her mood is still low, but she feels more hopeful now and is able to look forward to going to Church and meeting friends.