New Ballymena support group launched for people living with secondary breast cancer

Alison Craig - Macmillan Palliative Care Service Improvement Facilitator,  Kerrie McLaughlin - Palliative Care Support Worker and Fiona Gilmour - Service Improvement Lead MacMillan Nursing

A new support group for people living with secondary breast cancer is being launched in Ballymena through a partnership between the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the charity Breast Cancer Now.

The group will offer a safe, welcoming environment where people can come together, share their experiences, and receive both emotional and practical support.

Sessions will be facilitated by a qualified counsellor, with regular guest speakers providing advice on a wide range of topics relevant to those affected by the condition.

The first drop-in morning session will take place on Tuesday 30 September in Ballymena, with monthly meetings thereafter on the last Tuesday of each month.

Alison Craig, the Northern Trust’s Macmillan Palliative Care Service Improvement Facilitator, encouraged people to attend, regardless of where they live. She said:

“The group is open to anyone with secondary breast cancer – and you don’t have to live in the Northern Trust area to come along.

“Our first session will be a good opportunity to call in and meet the therapist, find out more about the group and how it might help you. You can bring someone with you to the first drop-in session if you want, but from October onwards, the group will be for those living with secondary cancer only, meeting on the last Tuesday of every month.

“Breast Cancer Now support groups aim to provide an extra layer of emotional and practical support, and a timely reminder that you’re not alone and we would encourage anyone living with secondary breast cancer to come along.”

Anyone seeking further details or wishing to register for the support group can contact Breast Cancer Now on 0345 077 1893 or email secondaryservices@breastcancernow.org.

The initiative reflects a growing recognition of the importance of peer support in improving quality of life for people living with cancer, alongside medical care.