Welcome to my first ever update of my London cancer carer forum. This carer forum is different from my other carer forums. The major difference is this forum focuses on families, friends and carers who care for those with cancer. My other 5 groups focus on those caring for someone with mental ill health.

This forum runs on the last wednesday of the month and covers the whole of London. The forums main focus tends to be hospital engagement. Cancer Alliance and cancer leads at hospitals should have a keen interest to support carers who try navigate the cancer pathway.

For August we had our peer session to hear what challenges cancer caregivers face. If those seeking to improve cancer services do not engage at grassroots level then we risk guessing what challenges people face. It is so important to network and educate each other. It is very important for carers to be empowered to network especially for a peer supportive environment. It is impossible for me to be everywhere, so with a network we can have members looking to attend cancer service engagement events. Carers should be encourage to feedback their experiences.

For our very first London cancer caregiver group we were joined by Professor Tracey Devonport from the university of wolverhampton.

Professor Tracey is from the Faculty of Education Health & Wellbeing and although she presents at my ethnic mental health carer group. She has a large focus on cancer care research. This also includes research on cancer caregivers.

For our August London Cancer caregiver group. Professor Tracy presented on “Coping Conversation’s for Cancer Carers Forum”.

Prof Tracy ran a presentation and session on coping skills for carers who often can find themselves overwhelmed when providing unpaid care.

Each member of our group fedback what challenges we face when providing unpaid care. We also gave ideas on what we use to help us cope. Tracy presented her ideas on Dyadic Coping

All in all our forum worked out ok. There is still a lot of work to do as the group looks to develop the following.

• Increase a chance to feedback experience
• Learn about your role from other carers
• Engagement from hospital services
• Develop a cancer caregiver network.
• Learn about the peer environment
• Engagement on university research
• Increase the focus on those who care for someone with cancer
• focus on mental health caring for cancer
• influence cancer services
• Hold to account