Living with colorectal cancer

Follow-up

Your healthcare team will arrange regular review appointments after you finish treatment. This will include assessments with your surgeon, oncologist or specialist nurse and involve regular blood tests, colonoscopies and very often CT scans. You will be asked questions about your appetite, bowels, energy levels and any symptoms/side effects that you may have following treatment.

Should you have any questions or concerns before your next review appointment, please contact the Macmillan colorectal specialist nursing team on 028 94 424620.

Holistic Needs Assessment

The impact of a colorectal cancer can affect many areas of your life – this is why you may be offered a holistic needs assessment. A holistic needs assessment looks at you as a whole person; it ensures that your physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs are addressed in a timely and appropriate way. It will allow you to highlight issues that are most important to you and a plan of care will be put in place to meet these needs. For more information on holistic needs assessment, please visit the Macmillan website.

Health and Wellbeing Events

The Northern Trust holds a “Living with and beyond Colorectal Cancer” health and wellbeing event each year. Health and wellbeing events are one-off events where patients and their families can get cancer information, support and advice. They are usually held in the morning from 10:00am – 1:00pm.

People listen to a series of short talks delivered by expert healthcare professionals about cancer recurrence, the long-term side effects of treatment and self-management, as well as diet and lifestyle advice. They also hear a live story from a patient with a similar diagnosis. Market style stalls are provided by local cancer charities where people are introduced to a range of services that can help them with their physical, emotional, social and financial needs, for example, benefits advice, family support, counselling, complementary therapy etc. People have the chance to talk to the various health and social care professionals directly and also to meet other people affected by cancer and their families.

To find out more about the health and wellbeing events contact the Colorectal Nurse Specialist at Antrim Area Hospital or the NHSCT Macmillan Information and Support Service.