The community enables people to browse through groups and conversations, galleries and blogs to see how other members are coping with living with cancer.  To participate people must complete a simple registration process giving a username and e-mail address and a few details about themselves if they wish to. 

The community has been piloted through the centres for a few months to ensure each section is set up in the most accessible and straightforward way.  One user, EricM, who has been keeping a regular blog on the community about his cancer journey, has said how therapeutic he has found the writing of his blog, as well as how helpful his wife has found reading it.

“I think I have changed. Last week was frightening in some ways, helpful in ways, and reassuring in many ways. I have always known intellectually that one day my oncologist will tell me that she cannot help me any further, but I think that this week has allowed me to face this emotionally as well, and to realise that there will still be help there, right to the bitter end. It has finally given me the courage to talk about my feelings, my hopes, my fears and my plans.”

You can read Eric’s full blog on the online community.  You can join in with the conversations and the groups, post your photos and create your own blog.