A Loughborough cancer survivor has been honoured by Macmillan Cancer Support’s annual Volunteer Awards.
Chris Hughes has been presented with the charity’s national Deborah Hutton Award earlier this month, after being nominated alongside others from across the UK. The Macmillan Deborah Hutton award recognises volunteers who support people affected by cancer.
Chris is a volunteer with the Charnwood Befrienders and the My Cancer Stories project at Leicester Royal Infirmary, which is an online tool to let people going through a similar cancer experience know that they are not alone and other people have survived cancer too. He is currently training to become a Macmillan HOPE (Help Overcome Problems Effectively) course facilitator to support people emotionally after cancer treatment. Chris says:
“I had cancer 11 years ago and was supported my Macmillan. When I retired knew I wanted to do something as had learnt so much from my experience – put learning to good use or it would have been a waste otherwise.
I have supported someone who had received a terminal diagnosis. I got to know them as a reasonably fit person and able individual so we went on walks – everyday things. As his cancer progressed, I was able to help him with e-mails and research and yes, planning his own funeral. I was there towards the end supporting the family who just wanted to spend time with the individual”.
Chris continues:
“Everyone needs different types of support and some people need more support than others.
For some people, it’s practical, like helping with the cleaning or shopping; other people just need someone to talk to. One of the couples I recently supported was a husband and wife. The wife had lung cancer and her husband had mobility issues. They needed someone to chat to as well as going food shopping and collecting prescriptions. Because I’ve had cancer myself, we could speak very openly about things that were important to them.
Knowing that it is the little things you do that make a massive difference to the individual or the family. Let me put the kettle on can make such a huge difference to how people feel at that moment and that’s what we are there to do”.
On hearing he had won the award, Chris said:
“I am very humbled but mindful of those friends who are not about to share it with me. Also, I want to share the recognition with the other volunteers at Charnwood Befrienders as this is not just about one individual but a team of people who all want to make a difference”
Macmillan’s Volunteer Awards were created to celebrate the achievements and outstanding work carried out by exceptional Macmillan volunteers across the UK.
Lynda Burton, Macmillan Volunteering Manager who nominated Chris for the award, said:
“Chris is a very caring person who gives a lot of his time to supporting people living with cancer, often several at once, including those not in his local area.
The Charnwood Befriending service has received such positive feedback about Chris, he tends to be matched with complex referrals such as people at the end of life, which is a testament to the person he is. Chris will do whatever he can to be there, not just for the person with cancer, but their family too and I am so pleased he has been recognised with this national award”.
Although face to face volunteering has been paused, there are still a number of ways you can volunteer for Macmillan to support people living with cancer. Find out more by visiting www.macmillan.org.uk/volunteer or emailing volunteering@macmillan.org.uk.
