This year, we’re supporting the incredible work carried out by Macmillan Cancer Support by funding a nurse for one year.

And this week, we’re spotlighting Amanda. As well as working as a Macmillan Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist for 20 years, Amanda now heads up the Northumbria NHS Trust Clinical Nurse Specialist work force. Here, she talks about her role and how Macmillan has supported her professional development.

Amanda is an experienced cancer nurse specialist who first became a cancer-focused healthcare professional thanks to Macmillan funding.

“The experience and knowledge you can gain as a Macmillan nurse is so rewarding. There are opportunities to deliver specialist services and to influence service development on the ground. I get the chance to work regularly with NHS England and the Northern Cancer Alliance to improve things for patients and their families."

“Macmillan has always been innovative in the way they support cancer care by investing in new specialist roles. I was the first specialist in the now five-nurse-strong Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust breast cancer team. I really enjoy working in this team, delivering nurse led services, carrying out follow ups and reviews, providing the care that goes into supporting patients and families dealing with, or managing, the side effects of treatment."

“As the first point of contact supporting people living with cancer through their journey, you really get to know the patients and their families and can’t help but get involved. Providing emotional support at the most difficult of times. While there are inevitably people you get to know who sadly don’t survive, these situations often make you want to do better, evolve and improve on all aspects of what you do. It can be impossibly hard but is also a privilege to be part of."

“Due to improvements in treatment, a lot of people are living longer after their initial diagnosis, and we need to be able to continue to support them. Throughout my career at Macmillan, they have offered crucial support, enabling me to access the required training and creating opportunities for me to develop my communication skills, which is crucial when working with cancer patients. These opportunities simply wouldn’t be available to me without Macmillan.”

If you or a loved one is affected by cancer and you would like further information or support, contact Macmillan’s free helpline on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week from 8am–8pm or speak to a Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacist in selected Boots pharmacies across the UK and online.