A Kendal-based cancer charity has enlisted the help of local MP Tim Farron to help it distribute medicine to people isolated during lockdown.
CancerCare, which provides free professional counselling and therapy to people affected by cancer and bereavement, has launched a special community service to enable it to support people in their own homes following the temporary closure of its centre on Blackhall Road.
The charity appealed for volunteers to help provide an essential medication delivery service for people self-isolating during the coronavirus outbreak and the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale immediately offered his support.
Mr Farron spent a morning this week collecting medication from pharmacies and making deliveries across South Lakeland.
Tim said: “In the middle of this crisis, there are many people in South Lakeland who have cancer who still need support and CancerCare continues to do a brilliant job in helping them.
“Their volunteers do great work bringing support to people living with cancer and their families and it was a privilege to be part of the team for the morning.”
Since it launched its new community service the charity, which also has centres in Lancaster and Barrow, has made hundreds of deliveries across North Lancashire, South Lakeland and Furness. It has also extended its telephone counselling service to anyone who has been bereaved as a result of Covid-19 and is offering online therapies including reiki, hypnotherapy and yoga.
CancerCare Chief Executive Maria Chambers said: “Before the outbreak we already had the help of dozens of volunteers, but, since the outbreak, we have had an incredible number of new people offering us their support.
“We are really grateful to Tim for his efforts and his voluntary help underlines the keen interest he has always shown in our work.”
To access support from the CancerCare call 03330 150 628 (charged at standard rate), email [email protected] or text 07860 018 278.
