Living with oesophageal and stomach 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. You will be asked questions about your appetite, ability to swallow, 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 Upper GI team.

Holistic Needs Assessment

The impact of an upper GI cancer can affect many areas of your life – this is why you will 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 Event

OG Cancer NI organise a health and wellbeing event twice a year and this is held in Dunmurry. Wellbeing meetings are events where patients and their families can get cancer information, support and advice. They are usually held from 11:00am – 1:00pm and this includes a light lunch. The event is free to patients and their families.

OG Cancer NI advertise their wellbeing meeting as :
“Whatever stage of your illness – recently diagnosed or some years on, facing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery or palliative care – we can help. We completely understand your worries and fears and can give support you need in order to achieve the best possible quality of life.”

People listen to a series of short talks delivered by expert healthcare professionals about oesophageal and stomach cancer, the long-term side effects of treatment and self-management, as well as diet and lifestyle advice. You will have the chance to talk to the various health and social care professionals directly at the event and also to meet other people affected by oesophageal and stomach cancer and their families.

To see more about the health and wellbeing events, contact the Upper GI Cancer Nurse Specialist at Antrim Area Hospital, or visit the OG Cancer NI website for more information.