The Cancer Council Helpline is increasingly popular with Victorians, as stronger promotion helps its visibility to grow. The service is also popular with the cancer nurses who staff the helpline, and consider the role a great opportunity. Leanne Mansfield, who has been at the Cancer Council Helpline for more than 5 years, has always been drawn to oncology nursing.
‘Before this, I was an oncology nurse in bone marrow transplantation and haematology. The helpline is a chance to help people in a way that's different from direct nursing.'
‘As a nurse in a public hospital, time often feels like it is limited and you're not able to always provide the patient with the time to sit and listen, which is just as important as all of the other nursing duties.
On the helpline, I'm able to do what I often didn't have the time to do as a ward nurse: I'm able to sit and listen, and let them know about services outside the hospital that they'll find useful.
Programs such as Cancer Connect offer so much in regards to peer support, which is so useful.'
She describes being on the helpline as an opportunity to fill the gaps for callers. ‘We give them that extra bit of support. They can feel free to talk about whatever's worrying them.'
The helpline has about 4 cancer nurses available at any time, responding to calls from patients, families, doctors and the general public.
All the nurses work part-time; Leanne works 2 days a week. ‘To do any more would be too much. I don't think we could offer such a quality service if we worked full-time. We never know what sort of calls we'll receive, or what the person on the other end of the phone will need.'
All the calls are anonymous and confidential. People don't leave their details and aren't followed up. Leanne says, ‘You often think about someone you've spoken to and wonder how things are going for them.'
A person might call the helpline several times, first at diagnosis and then again a few times during treatment. The nurses can match people with a Cancer Connect volunteer or cancer support group, if that's what they'd like.
Leanne and her helpline colleagues also talk to family members.
‘Families often call. The first call is often at diagnosis: they want to know what the next step will be, about cancer treatment and side effects.
Families also often want to know what they can do for the person who's been diagnosed. They might say something like, "Mum's just sitting, not saying anything. I've heard that exercise is good for people with cancer. What gym would you suggest?" We tell people that mum doesn't have to be doing things all the time! It's the same when people call, concerned that the person with cancer is not "being positive". We explain that it takes a lot of effort to be positive every day. Sometimes people just have a bad day and that is OK.'
Sometimes the calls are very affecting. Leanne remembers a recent call with a man whose wife had just died of cancer and who had young children to care for.
‘A call like that can make problems in your own life seem very small,' Leanne says.
‘Often we need to debrief with the other nurses: this is very important, not only so we look after ourselves, but so we can be ready to take the next call.
Leanne describes the helpline as building on services that already exist. Helpline nurses give information and guidance, not advice. ‘We provide information, reassurance, empowerment. Someone might, at the end of a call, say something like, "I don't feel silly going back to my doctor and asking that question now." People need another person who can listen, so they feel they're not going through this on their own.'
If you have a question about cancer, call 13 11 20 Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 6pm.
