Professional Blog

Life After Radiotherapy Treatment

Hi I’m Monica Thornton

I am a Therapeutic Radiographer at the Royal Derby Hospital where I have worked for 25 years. In 2018 I was privileged to become the lead therapeutic radiographer of a small team tasked to establish and run the Derby Radiotherapy Late Effects Service. Our goal is to support people after radiotherapy treatment, to help not just with long term physical and emotional side effects following radiotherapy treatment but also the consequences of it. We believe people should not only survive cancer treatment but live the best life possible afterwards. Hopefully after reading this, you will understand more about this service and why it is so vital in supporting people to live well beyond cancer treatment.

A glimpse into life after Radiotherapy Treatment

Part of my role working as a therapeutic radiographer delivering radiotherapy treatment was to support patients emotionally during radiotherapy and if they developed physical side effects, ensure that they received the appropriate care. When a patient finished treatment, I informed them of what to expect in the next few weeks and months, giving them written information and saying where to get help if needed. I didn’t really appreciate the impact that having cancer and the consequences of their treatments may have on their lives until I became a facilitator for the Macmillan Hope programme.

The HOPE programme – which stands for ‘Helping to Overcome Problems Effectively’ is a six-week course for cancer patients post treatment who were struggling with the consequences of their diagnosis and treatment. This was the first time that I heard from cancer survivors, some of whom I had treated, about how their lives had changed since diagnosis and the challenges that they now faced.

I realised that having a physical or emotional side effect is like throwing a stone into a pond. If left untreated, the side effect causes a ripple, ever increasing in size and impacting on various aspects of life, financially, socially, emotionally, practically, and spiritually. In many cases the ripple effect extends beyond the patient, it can also be felt by those around them, impacting on relationships, friendships, and work. I became aware of the true impact that a cancer diagnosis and its treatments can have and felt the need to do more to help, but what and how?

Introducing the Derby Radiotherapy Late Effects Service

Thanks to extensive research and reports published by various cancer treatment providers and charities, the need for support services to help people living with and beyond cancer treatment has now been recognised. When Macmillan generously offered to help fund the start-up of the Derby Radiotherapy Late Effects service, I knew that was my opportunity to help those people living beyond cancer to lead a better quality of life.

How can the Derby Radiotherapy Late Effects Service help?

We tailor make our service to suit your individual needs for a personalised approach, giving you the tools to thrive, not just survive.

Explanation of your radiotherapy treatment

Who better to explain the radiotherapy treatment you received than a therapeutic radiographer? Sometimes people struggle because they have questions about why they needed radiotherapy, are worried that ‘something went wrong’ or don’t understand why they have the physical side effects that they have now, especially if treated many years ago. By talking through your radiotherapy treatment, explaining what was done to minimise the risk of developing late side effects and answering any questions you may have about your treatment we hope to provide reassurance and understanding to help you accept the past.

Time to talk

The appointments we offer in our service are planned to reflect your needs, ensuring you have adequate time to talk freely about your concerns and issues and how it impacts on your life, without the worry of time constraints. We are here to listen.

Help with the physical late side effects of radiotherapy treatment

Despite every effort to minimise the risk of developing late side effects, this can’t be eliminated completely and the chances of developing them after radiotherapy is hard to predict. Sometimes the side effects can mimic the symptoms experienced when first diagnosed, causing fear that the cancer may have returned. Some late side effects can be mistaken for other medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or even be put down to the natural aging process. This can make it difficult for people to recognise when they have a radiotherapy late side-effect, particularly if experienced years or even decades after treatment. Our service can help identify your physical late side effects and facilitate the management of them. Our approach is to provide basic advice and guidance, suggest practical support, and promote a healthy lifestyle. We also refer to appropriate specialist services when required including the continence team, lymphoedema team and counselling services. In addition to hospital-based services, we also utilise community services and charities, promoting support groups and organisations such as the Derby Active Recovery programme and of course the C.A.R.S. ‘In the Pink Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Programme.’

Emotional support

We know that cancer can be a life changing experience. For some people, finishing cancer treatment has been likened to falling off a cliff. The safety ropes have gone and the medical professionals that supported you during treatment are no longer there – suddenly it is up to you to find your feet again. This can be difficult if you are unsure of what you can and can’t do and are struggling with recovery. Often it is only after treatment finishes that you have time to process just what you have gone through. Your outlook on life might change, your values and priorities may be different to before, and so, your life may not feel the same.

The support you receive from family and friends is often greatest during cancer treatment and once you finish people may think you are ‘over the worst.’ However, if you are struggling to settle back into a routine or adapt to a new way of life, this can be when support is needed the most. We provide the time and space for you to talk through your feelings and identify what is important to you now. This helps to clarify your goals, and we then work with you to recognise and address any barriers and support needed to focus on achieving those goals.

Your general wellbeing

A huge part of this service is addressing not just the late side effects of radiotherapy treatment but the impact this has on your life. We recognise that if physical and emotional symptoms go untreated then this can directly affect your quality of life and general wellbeing. The result can be feeling overwhelmed or out of control, which for some people may lead to depression, isolation, and withdrawal. Our service promotes ‘self-management’ whenever possible, meaning we help you to help yourself, encouraging you to take back control in one area at a time, one step at a time.

There is a great saying I like to use which I think sums this up perfectly:

Want to know more? More information on the Derby Radiotherapy Late Effects Service is provided in a short 8 min video. Here you will learn more about what radiotherapy late side effects are, why they happen, how this service can help and how to access the service.

How to access this service

• This service is for anyone experiencing long term physical or emotional late effects and consequences of radiotherapy treatment.
• You must have received radiotherapy as part of your cancer treatment and completed radiotherapy treatment 6 months ago or more.
• There is no time limit after 6 months; you may have been treated years or even decades ago.
• You must be living within the Derbyshire area or currently be under the care of an oncologist in Derby.
• There is no limit on the number of times you access this service- we are here to support you for the rest of your life
• We are based at the Royal Derby Hospital and offer appointments face to face and by telephone.
• You can be referred to this service by any healthcare professional, your GP or you can self-refer
• We accept referrals by phone, email, or letter

For more information or to make an appointment.

Telephone: 01332 783 602

This is an answer machine service so leave your name, contact number and brief message and we will get back to you. Messages will be checked every working day though we may not be able to return your call the same day.

The Derby Macmillan Radiotherapy Late Effects Service

Jo West     Senior Late Effects     Radiotherapist	Jolita Movsisyan        Late Effects Support Worker	Monica Thornton Service lead Late Effects Radiotherapist

Supporting patients with long term physical and emotional consequences of radiotherapy treatment in Derbyshire