Download Young Adult Cancer Service in south-east London

 Contact us
Pharmacy Medicines Helpline
If you have any questions or concerns about your
medicines, please speak to the staff caring for you or
call our helpline.
t: 020 7188 8748 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
To make comments or raise concerns about the Trust’s
services, please contact PALS. Ask a member of staff to
direct you to the PALS office or:
t: 020 7188 8801 at St Thomas’ t: 020 7188 8803 at
Guy’s e: [email protected]
Young Adult
Cancer Service in
south-east London
Language support services
If you need an interpreter or information about your care in
a different language or format, please get in touch using
the following contact details.
t: 020 7188 8815 fax: 020 7188 5953
NHS Choices
Provides online information and guidance on all aspects of
health and healthcare, to help you make choices about
your health.
w: www.nhs.uk
Leaflet number: 3984/VER1
Date published: October 2014
Review date: October 2017
© 2014 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation16Trust
Notes
Contents
p.3
About our service
p.5
Meet the young adult cancer team
p.12 Peer support
p.12 Young adult research
p.13 Useful web links
p.14 Notes
p.16 Contact us
2 15 About our service
Being diagnosed with cancer when you are in your late
teens or early 20s is always difficult. We are here to help
make things easier, both for you and your family.
There are many forms of cancer that develop in people
aged 16-24. These include leukaemia and lymphomas;
testicular and ‘germ cell’ tumours; melanoma; brain
tumours, and other cancers that usually affect older
adults, such as bowel, thyroid, ovarian or breast
cancers.
You will have already had your diagnosis made by your
oncologist or haematologist, and it is their expert team
who will treat your particular cancer.
The role of the Young Adult Cancer Service is to provide
the extra support you might need to help you cope with
the diagnosis and the way it might impact on your plans
for education, work, and possibly your relationships with
family, friends and partners.
Ways we can help:
 Deciding where to be treated
Guy’s and St Thomas’, together with King’s College
Hospital, have some of the best oncologists and
haematologists in London. When considering your
options, it is important to choose a hospital that
provides the best treatment, but you might also want
to think about how easy it is to travel to the hospital
and the type of support it offers. We can discuss all
the options with you, tell you what is available where,
and help you make the right decision for you.
14 3 


Fertility
Some cancer treatments affect fertility in the short or
long-term and your oncologist may have discussed
this with you already. We work with the fertility unit
whose experts will be happy to talk to you about the
impact your treatment may have on your fertility.
They can also tell you about the options available for
storing sperm, eggs and embryos before
chemotherapy, and help you decide on the best
option for you.
Contact with other young people with cancer
Being diagnosed with cancer can make young people
feel very alone and isolated. We can put you in touch
with other young people diagnosed with cancer,
either via Facebook or in person, for support or to
share experiences.
Getting the support you need, when you need it
We will invite you to our specialist Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic as soon as possible after you
have been given your diagnosis. This will give you
the opportunity to meet the young adult cancer team,
and for us to meet you. We will work with you to find
out how we can best support you, and to make sure
that you know where you can find help if and when
you need it.
If you are approached about a clinical trial or would like
to know more, please contact your CNS or Gavin
Maynard-Wyatt, the lead young adult cancer nurse
specialist.
Appointments at King's
We have teamed up with King’s College Hospital in a
partnership known as King’s Health Partners Academic
Health Sciences Centre. We are working together to
give our patients the best possible care, so you might
find we invite you for appointments at King’s. To make
sure everyone you meet always has the most up-to-date
information about your health, we may share information
about you between the hospitals.
Useful web links
www.teenagecancertrust.org
www.jtvcancersupport.com
www.nhs.uk/young-cancer-care
www.willowfoundation.org.uk
www.teensunitefightingcancer.org
For more information leaflets on conditions, procedures,
treatments and services offered at our hospitals, please
visit www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/leaflets 4 13 Peer support
Meet the young adult cancer team
We offer different ways for you to get support from other
young people diagnosed with cancer. We organise
events and activities throughout the year, and link in
with big organisations such as Teenage Cancer Trust,
TeensUnite and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
We also have our own Facebook page which is a closed
group for our Teenage and Young Adult Clinic patients
only. It will help you to connect with other young people
facing the same issues as you, and support each other.
We will discuss all of this with you in detail at your first
visit to the Teenage and Young Adult Clinic. Young adult research
You may hear the term ‘clinical trial’ when you are first
diagnosed with cancer. Clinical trials aim to find new
and better treatments for all types of cancer by
comparing newer treatments to those currently
available. In the field of cancer, research is constantly
being carried out and all current cancer treatments have
been tested (researched) in clinical trials.
Participating in a clinical trial is entirely up to you. Your
doctor and research nurse will explain everything about
the trial to you and give you written information to take
away. You can take as much time as you need to make
a decision. It can also help to talk it through with the
young adult cancer team, your family, friends or GP.
Please remember that if you decide not to take part
in a clinical trial, it will not affect your care in any
way.
12 Dr Robert Carr – lead
clinician of the Young Adult
Cancer Service
I am a consultant
haematologist and I lead the
Young Adult Cancer Service.
I established the service in
2009 to support all young
people with cancer in southeast London.
I treat patients with leukaemia and lymphoma, but my
role here is to make sure that we provide the best
possible support to young people, whatever their type of
cancer. You will meet me in the Teenage and Young
Adult Clinic and I will also be happy to meet your
partner, parents or a close friend if they would like to
come to the clinic with you.
If you or your family would like to talk to me about how
we can best support you as you go through diagnosis
and treatment, please call my secretary Suzanne Bates
(direct dial 020 7188 1431) or Gavin Maynard-Wyatt,
lead young adult cancer nurse specialist (mobile 07833
095998).
We look forward to meeting you.
5 Gavin Maynard-Wyatt – lead
young adult cancer nurse
specialist
Young adult CLIC Sargent
social workers
You might have already met your
clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who
cares for you in your cancerspecific team. I work alongside
your CNS as well as a part of the
young adult cancer team to
ensure that all your needs are
met. I will meet you for the first time in our Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic held on Thursday afternoons.
Here are just a few things I can help with:
 I offer 1-to-1 sessions where you can discuss any
worries or concerns you may have. I will try to help
you resolve them, or signpost you to the best
qualified person to help you.
 I organise fun events where other young adults with
cancer meet one another.  I can also text you on a regular basis to check that
everything is going well – remember that I’m here to
support you.  I can liaise with schools, universities and employers
on your behalf. The teenage and young adult
social work team at Guy’s and
St Thomas’ consists of a social
worker and a young people’s
community development
worker. It is fully funded by
CLIC Sargent, the charity
caring for young adults with
cancer and providing support
for families at home and in hospital.
The team provides specialist support for patients, their
families and significant others to cope with the emotional
and practical impact of cancer. This includes:
 emotional support with the impact of diagnosis and
treatment
 support around issues concerned with body image,
sexuality and fertility
 help with practical issues arising as a result of cancer
treatment, such as education, employment,
travel/insurance, or application for benefits or grants
 signposting to specialist help or information
 support for family members and friends.
I look forward to meeting you and helping you
throughout your diagnosis, treatment and beyond.
Remember, no problem is too small – if you are
worried about it, then it needs to be addressed.
Please feel free to email, phone or text me. My contact
details are: [email protected] and
07833 095998. I work Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. 6 11 Dr Nivedita Reddy –
gynaecologist and
fertility specialist Dr Clare Jacobson –
clinical psychologist
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can sometimes affect
your ovaries or testes, which can have an impact on
your fertility. However, there are techniques available to
preserve fertility and I am available to talk through some
of these options. I can provide you with more
information about what to expect during and after your
treatment with regards to your fertility and contraception.
I can also see you after your treatment is finished if you
need advice on the impact it might have had on your
fertility.
Clinical psychology in the
Teenage and Young Adult
Clinic
I meet everybody who
comes to the Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic for a brief
15-minute appointment. I
don’t assume that because
you have cancer you will
have psychological problems – I will just ask how you
are getting on and whether there is anything we can
think about together to help you or your family. This may
include ideas for ways of approaching certain
treatments. Even if you are coping really well with
diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and any other related
changes, it can sometimes be useful just to
acknowledge that.
Clinical psychology appointments
I also meet with patients outside the clinic for more indepth clinical psychology sessions that last for up to 50
minutes. In these meetings, patients and I use different
types of talking therapy. Topics that are common for
some of the young adults with whom I work include:
 managing difficult feelings (such as anxiety, anger or
low mood) at any point during cancer or afterwards
 specialist strategies to cope with some treatments
and their short- and longer-term side effects  exploring ways of letting family/friends know some
things that might be hard to say
10 7 






complex decision-making working with distress related to trauma, bereavement
and the ending of life identifying and using people’s own internal strengths
and resources finding solutions and ways of managing problems helping people remain connected to their goals,
values and identity processing what has happened and its personal
meaning thinking about what’s next. I also offer separate therapy groups for patients and
family members as well as family/couples therapy.
Monika Siemicka – haematooncology dietitian
It's important to be prepared
for the treatment and this
includes nutrition too. I am
here to support you before,
during and after your
treatment, and I can answer
any questions you may have
about diet and cancer.
During treatment, you might find that you lose your
appetite, go off certain foods, experience taste changes
or have side effects that have an impact on what you
can eat. I'm here to help you overcome these problems
so that you can continue to eat as normally as possible
during your treatment.
It can also be difficult to get back to a healthy lifestyle
after finishing the treatment. I can explain what a
healthy, balanced diet really means and how you
can make changes to your diet that best suit you.
8 9 






complex decision-making working with distress related to trauma, bereavement
and the ending of life identifying and using people’s own internal strengths
and resources finding solutions and ways of managing problems helping people remain connected to their goals,
values and identity processing what has happened and its personal
meaning thinking about what’s next. I also offer separate therapy groups for patients and
family members as well as family/couples therapy.
Monika Siemicka – haematooncology dietitian
It's important to be prepared
for the treatment and this
includes nutrition too. I am
here to support you before,
during and after your
treatment, and I can answer
any questions you may have
about diet and cancer.
During treatment, you might find that you lose your
appetite, go off certain foods, experience taste changes
or have side effects that have an impact on what you
can eat. I'm here to help you overcome these problems
so that you can continue to eat as normally as possible
during your treatment.
It can also be difficult to get back to a healthy lifestyle
after finishing the treatment. I can explain what a
healthy, balanced diet really means and how you
can make changes to your diet that best suit you.
8 9 Dr Nivedita Reddy –
gynaecologist and
fertility specialist Dr Clare Jacobson –
clinical psychologist
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can sometimes affect
your ovaries or testes, which can have an impact on
your fertility. However, there are techniques available to
preserve fertility and I am available to talk through some
of these options. I can provide you with more
information about what to expect during and after your
treatment with regards to your fertility and contraception.
I can also see you after your treatment is finished if you
need advice on the impact it might have had on your
fertility.
Clinical psychology in the
Teenage and Young Adult
Clinic
I meet everybody who
comes to the Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic for a brief
15-minute appointment. I
don’t assume that because
you have cancer you will
have psychological problems – I will just ask how you
are getting on and whether there is anything we can
think about together to help you or your family. This may
include ideas for ways of approaching certain
treatments. Even if you are coping really well with
diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and any other related
changes, it can sometimes be useful just to
acknowledge that.
Clinical psychology appointments
I also meet with patients outside the clinic for more indepth clinical psychology sessions that last for up to 50
minutes. In these meetings, patients and I use different
types of talking therapy. Topics that are common for
some of the young adults with whom I work include:
 managing difficult feelings (such as anxiety, anger or
low mood) at any point during cancer or afterwards
 specialist strategies to cope with some treatments
and their short- and longer-term side effects  exploring ways of letting family/friends know some
things that might be hard to say
10 7 Gavin Maynard-Wyatt – lead
young adult cancer nurse
specialist
Young adult CLIC Sargent
social workers
You might have already met your
clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who
cares for you in your cancerspecific team. I work alongside
your CNS as well as a part of the
young adult cancer team to
ensure that all your needs are
met. I will meet you for the first time in our Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic held on Thursday afternoons.
Here are just a few things I can help with:
 I offer 1-to-1 sessions where you can discuss any
worries or concerns you may have. I will try to help
you resolve them, or signpost you to the best
qualified person to help you.
 I organise fun events where other young adults with
cancer meet one another.  I can also text you on a regular basis to check that
everything is going well – remember that I’m here to
support you.  I can liaise with schools, universities and employers
on your behalf. The teenage and young adult
social work team at Guy’s and
St Thomas’ consists of a social
worker and a young people’s
community development
worker. It is fully funded by
CLIC Sargent, the charity
caring for young adults with
cancer and providing support
for families at home and in hospital.
The team provides specialist support for patients, their
families and significant others to cope with the emotional
and practical impact of cancer. This includes:
 emotional support with the impact of diagnosis and
treatment
 support around issues concerned with body image,
sexuality and fertility
 help with practical issues arising as a result of cancer
treatment, such as education, employment,
travel/insurance, or application for benefits or grants
 signposting to specialist help or information
 support for family members and friends.
I look forward to meeting you and helping you
throughout your diagnosis, treatment and beyond.
Remember, no problem is too small – if you are
worried about it, then it needs to be addressed.
Please feel free to email, phone or text me. My contact
details are: [email protected] and
07833 095998. I work Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. 6 11 Peer support
Meet the young adult cancer team
We offer different ways for you to get support from other
young people diagnosed with cancer. We organise
events and activities throughout the year, and link in
with big organisations such as Teenage Cancer Trust,
TeensUnite and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
We also have our own Facebook page which is a closed
group for our Teenage and Young Adult Clinic patients
only. It will help you to connect with other young people
facing the same issues as you, and support each other.
We will discuss all of this with you in detail at your first
visit to the Teenage and Young Adult Clinic. Young adult research
You may hear the term ‘clinical trial’ when you are first
diagnosed with cancer. Clinical trials aim to find new
and better treatments for all types of cancer by
comparing newer treatments to those currently
available. In the field of cancer, research is constantly
being carried out and all current cancer treatments have
been tested (researched) in clinical trials.
Participating in a clinical trial is entirely up to you. Your
doctor and research nurse will explain everything about
the trial to you and give you written information to take
away. You can take as much time as you need to make
a decision. It can also help to talk it through with the
young adult cancer team, your family, friends or GP.
Please remember that if you decide not to take part
in a clinical trial, it will not affect your care in any
way.
12 Dr Robert Carr – lead
clinician of the Young Adult
Cancer Service
I am a consultant
haematologist and I lead the
Young Adult Cancer Service.
I established the service in
2009 to support all young
people with cancer in southeast London.
I treat patients with leukaemia and lymphoma, but my
role here is to make sure that we provide the best
possible support to young people, whatever their type of
cancer. You will meet me in the Teenage and Young
Adult Clinic and I will also be happy to meet your
partner, parents or a close friend if they would like to
come to the clinic with you.
If you or your family would like to talk to me about how
we can best support you as you go through diagnosis
and treatment, please call my secretary Suzanne Bates
(direct dial 020 7188 1431) or Gavin Maynard-Wyatt,
lead young adult cancer nurse specialist (mobile 07833
095998).
We look forward to meeting you.
5 


Fertility
Some cancer treatments affect fertility in the short or
long-term and your oncologist may have discussed
this with you already. We work with the fertility unit
whose experts will be happy to talk to you about the
impact your treatment may have on your fertility.
They can also tell you about the options available for
storing sperm, eggs and embryos before
chemotherapy, and help you decide on the best
option for you.
Contact with other young people with cancer
Being diagnosed with cancer can make young people
feel very alone and isolated. We can put you in touch
with other young people diagnosed with cancer,
either via Facebook or in person, for support or to
share experiences.
Getting the support you need, when you need it
We will invite you to our specialist Teenage and
Young Adult Clinic as soon as possible after you
have been given your diagnosis. This will give you
the opportunity to meet the young adult cancer team,
and for us to meet you. We will work with you to find
out how we can best support you, and to make sure
that you know where you can find help if and when
you need it.
If you are approached about a clinical trial or would like
to know more, please contact your CNS or Gavin
Maynard-Wyatt, the lead young adult cancer nurse
specialist.
Appointments at King's
We have teamed up with King’s College Hospital in a
partnership known as King’s Health Partners Academic
Health Sciences Centre. We are working together to
give our patients the best possible care, so you might
find we invite you for appointments at King’s. To make
sure everyone you meet always has the most up-to-date
information about your health, we may share information
about you between the hospitals.
Useful web links
www.teenagecancertrust.org
www.jtvcancersupport.com
www.nhs.uk/young-cancer-care
www.willowfoundation.org.uk
www.teensunitefightingcancer.org
For more information leaflets on conditions, procedures,
treatments and services offered at our hospitals, please
visit www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/leaflets 4 13 About our service
Being diagnosed with cancer when you are in your late
teens or early 20s is always difficult. We are here to help
make things easier, both for you and your family.
There are many forms of cancer that develop in people
aged 16-24. These include leukaemia and lymphomas;
testicular and ‘germ cell’ tumours; melanoma; brain
tumours, and other cancers that usually affect older
adults, such as bowel, thyroid, ovarian or breast
cancers.
You will have already had your diagnosis made by your
oncologist or haematologist, and it is their expert team
who will treat your particular cancer.
The role of the Young Adult Cancer Service is to provide
the extra support you might need to help you cope with
the diagnosis and the way it might impact on your plans
for education, work, and possibly your relationships with
family, friends and partners.
Ways we can help:
 Deciding where to be treated
Guy’s and St Thomas’, together with King’s College
Hospital, have some of the best oncologists and
haematologists in London. When considering your
options, it is important to choose a hospital that
provides the best treatment, but you might also want
to think about how easy it is to travel to the hospital
and the type of support it offers. We can discuss all
the options with you, tell you what is available where,
and help you make the right decision for you.
14 3 Notes
Contents
p.3
About our service
p.5
Meet the young adult cancer team
p.12 Peer support
p.12 Young adult research
p.13 Useful web links
p.14 Notes
p.16 Contact us
2 15 Contact us
Pharmacy Medicines Helpline
If you have any questions or concerns about your
medicines, please speak to the staff caring for you or
call our helpline.
t: 020 7188 8748 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
To make comments or raise concerns about the Trust’s
services, please contact PALS. Ask a member of staff to
direct you to the PALS office or:
t: 020 7188 8801 at St Thomas’ t: 020 7188 8803 at
Guy’s e: [email protected]
Young Adult
Cancer Service in
south-east London
Language support services
If you need an interpreter or information about your care in
a different language or format, please get in touch using
the following contact details.
t: 020 7188 8815 fax: 020 7188 5953
NHS Choices
Provides online information and guidance on all aspects of
health and healthcare, to help you make choices about
your health.
w: www.nhs.uk
Leaflet number: 3984/VER1
Date published: October 2014
Review date: October 2017
© 2014 Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation16Trust