There is no hanging around; you just rock up, get your stuff done, and then you’re off.
Diana, 65, is from Colchester and was diagnosed with lung cancer two and a half years ago, during COVID.
She explains: “I’d had a cough for about a year and it wouldn’t shift. At the end of 2020, they finally decided to do an X-ray and found out the cause of it.”
She was admitted to Colchester hospital to have her left lung removed, after which she was “cancer free”, but unfortunately not for long. “It came back in the thorax, which they treated with radiotherapy. It then re-appeared, this time in my liver, so I was put on a course of chemo.”
A two-year course of immunotherapy followed, which is when she was told about the mobile unit, and admitted that at first, she “didn’t have a clue what that was”.
She discovered that the unit was situated fairly locally to where she lives, so was happy to give it a try.
To be perfectly honest, it’s fantastic. Actually, I prefer it to the hospital, purely because there are four people on the unit, and you get out quite quickly.
“When you’re at the hospital, you’re one of maybe 50 so you take your turn, which is what you do, but waiting takes an enormous amount of time.”
She’s been visiting the unit for over a year now, once every three weeks to have her immunotherapy treatment.
“It’s only a 20-minute ride to the hospital. The treatment probably only takes 45 minutes there, but if you take into account the waiting time, you’re usually there a good couple of hours. The unit is in Tiptree and although it takes around the same amount of time to get there as it does the hospital, it has a nice material shop next to it so that works out well for me!”
When she arrives at the unit, she is seen “straightaway”, with the treatment taking no more than 45 minutes. What she loves most about the unit is seeing the same familiar faces as at Colchester hospital; they are the same nursing staff, but they seem notably less stressed. “They appear more relaxed, as it’s just a nice atmosphere. It makes you feel at ease when you get there, because we’re all nervous and it’s yet another needle to endure, but they make you feel so happy, and you get a cup of tea.”
With only just four patients at a time allowed on the unit, Diana likes the fact that she can chat with others and have “a bit of a laugh”.
She continues: “There is no doom and gloom. We’re all in the same boat. There is no hanging around; you just rock up, get your stuff done, and then you’re off.”
Four years ago, on the cusp of retirement and the prospect of a carefree future together to look forward to, Diana and her husband sold their electrical business, where she worked looking after the accounts. Then COVID and cancer came along which weren’t part of the plan, although she asserts philosophically, “we’ve coped and we just get on with life. It is what it is.”
She is a fervent supporter of the unit and what it offers, something she “would promote every single day. We’re all stressed about what we’ve got and we’re all worried that tomorrow might not be here. It’s just a natural reaction. I just think the unit helps remove some of that stress when you’re faced with this situation.”
There is no hanging around; you just rock up, get your stuff done, and then you’re off.
Diana, 65, is from Colchester and was diagnosed with lung cancer two and a half years ago, during COVID.
She explains: “I’d had a cough for about a year and it wouldn’t shift. At the end of 2020, they finally decided to do an X-ray and found out the cause of it.”
She was admitted to Colchester hospital to have her left lung removed, after which she was “cancer free”, but unfortunately not for long. “It came back in the thorax, which they treated with radiotherapy. It then re-appeared, this time in my liver, so I was put on a course of chemo.”
A two-year course of immunotherapy followed, which is when she was told about the mobile unit, and admitted that at first, she “didn’t have a clue what that was”.
She discovered that the unit was situated fairly locally to where she lives, so was happy to give it a try.
To be perfectly honest, it’s fantastic. Actually, I prefer it to the hospital, purely because there are four people on the unit, and you get out quite quickly.
“When you’re at the hospital, you’re one of maybe 50 so you take your turn, which is what you do, but waiting takes an enormous amount of time.”
She’s been visiting the unit for over a year now, once every three weeks to have her immunotherapy treatment.
“It’s only a 20-minute ride to the hospital. The treatment probably only takes 45 minutes there, but if you take into account the waiting time, you’re usually there a good couple of hours. The unit is in Tiptree and although it takes around the same amount of time to get there as it does the hospital, it has a nice material shop next to it so that works out well for me!”
When she arrives at the unit, she is seen “straightaway”, with the treatment taking no more than 45 minutes. What she loves most about the unit is seeing the same familiar faces as at Colchester hospital; they are the same nursing staff, but they seem notably less stressed. “They appear more relaxed, as it’s just a nice atmosphere. It makes you feel at ease when you get there, because we’re all nervous and it’s yet another needle to endure, but they make you feel so happy, and you get a cup of tea.”
With only just four patients at a time allowed on the unit, Diana likes the fact that she can chat with others and have “a bit of a laugh”.
She continues: “There is no doom and gloom. We’re all in the same boat. There is no hanging around; you just rock up, get your stuff done, and then you’re off.”
Four years ago, on the cusp of retirement and the prospect of a carefree future together to look forward to, Diana and her husband sold their electrical business, where she worked looking after the accounts. Then COVID and cancer came along which weren’t part of the plan, although she asserts philosophically, “we’ve coped and we just get on with life. It is what it is.”
She is a fervent supporter of the unit and what it offers, something she “would promote every single day. We’re all stressed about what we’ve got and we’re all worried that tomorrow might not be here. It’s just a natural reaction. I just think the unit helps remove some of that stress when you’re faced with this situation.”
