Frome charity Positive Action on Cancer is to benefit from a major funding boost, after being handed £10,000 from the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group.
The money will be used primarily for counselling undertaken in the Bath area, which makes up about a third of the adult services it provides.
Mary Taylor, director of Positive Action on Cancer told the Frome Times, “The £10,000 is a huge help for us to maintain the services we currently provide. The money will help fund counselling supervision and training, which is what we requested it for. As a charity, we rely on this sort of donation – it is very important to us.”
Positive Action on Cancer provides free, professional counselling to anyone affected by cancer – partners, children and family members as well as the person diagnosed, providing vital emotional support at a time when people feel isolated, afraid and uncertain about the future. PAC counsellors provide a counselling service at the RUH one afternoon a week and in Twerton, as well as venues in Trowbridge, Warminster and the charity’s headquarters in Frome.
Claire Hayes, 47, from Bath, saw a PAC counsellor after being diagnosed with breast cancer. In her words, “Cancer turned my world upside down and while I found that my physical needs were dealt with, my emotional needs weren’t. I didn’t want to burden my nearest and dearest, they had their own emotions to cope with, but the counselling was wonderful.
“It gave me a space where I could talk things through and the support I needed to cope.”
For anyone, their partner, a family member or a friend who is affected, cancer can trigger painful and distressing feelings. Counselling by PAC provides a safe, supportive environment where people can talk about difficult feelings.
Les Dymond, a trustee to the Bath Cancer Unit Support Group said, “We are most grateful for all the money received through bequests, donations and fundraising events.
“Fundraising events are often set up by individuals as well as by the fund raising groups in Bath, Box (who have raised over £125,000 in 25 years) and Trowbridge (who have raised in excess of £300,000 in 20 years).”
