HEREFORD Haven was “a godsend” for one county woman, who said the service helped heal her as she went through cancer treatment.

“Patricia”, 60, was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2013, after she found a lump.

A mastectomy removed her right breast and 10 months of chemotherapy and 15 days of radiotherapy followed. She is now nearing the end of a year of injections of a breast cancer drug.

Patricia, who lives in a Herefordshire village, has been holding down a full time job while running her sheep farm, which currently has 150 sheep.

Patricia said: “I just thought, ‘Let’s get on with it.’ There were lots of practical issues to consider.

“These people [at the Haven] were a godsend. They have got more time to speak to you.

“The medical professionals are very good at what they do but there is a lot of other stuff that goes on.”

When she was first diagnosed, doctors told her she had a 70 per cent chance of surviving 10 years.

She knew it was in the family as both her mum and aunt had had breast cancer.

When she arrived at The Haven she was just about to start chemotherapy.

Patricia told Haven nurse, Helen Crilly, she did not know why she had come.

Helen could see the tension and pressure which had built up in Patricia and recommended a number of therapies to help her relax.

Patricia said: “The Haven just calmed me down. It was like a sweet shop – I got to try things I had never tried before like meditation and hypnotherapy and acupuncture. I thought it was mumbo jumbo. I had to throw my scepticism to the wind and I am so glad I did.”

She said the acupuncture completely relaxed her and eased the aches and pains in her body.

Patricia said it also helped to talk to other women going through the same thing.

She said: “As well as being able to relax, there was a healing to it as well.”

Family helped her with her farm, and friends and the farming community have also supported her.

Patricia said: “Without the Haven I wouldn’t have got to the stage I have done with my recovery.

“Cancer is with us – we mustn’t hide it or sweep it under the carpet. It wasn’t the death sentence it was in my mother’s day.

“The Haven provides healing, which isn’t covered by the NHS. We are so lucky to have what we have in Hereford.”

So far so good...

THE Hereford Times-backed One in Eight is off and running with £531 raised towards the £30,000 target that gets Hereford Haven a new nurse.

Week one funds raised:

Text Giving – £6.25

Direct Donations

Anonymous – £10

Anonymous – £30

Sue Enfield – £100

Elizabeth Constance-Hughes – £40

Leominster Tangent Club and Leominster 41 club – £220

On-line donations

Anonymous – £50.00

Kate Dawson – £25.00 + £6.25 gift aid

Anonymous – £10.00 + £2.50 gift aid

Jennie Stokes and family – £25.00 + £6.25 gift aid

Overall total – £531.25 

  • Mordiford Community Choir are giving a fundraising concert on Saturday, July 18, at The Rose Gardens with all proceeds going to One in Eight.
  • The Bell hotel and restaurant at Skenfrith hosts its annual charity sale over October 18-19 in aid of The Haven.

HOW TO HELP

Organise a fund-raising event. Contact Hereford Times reporter Bill Tanner on 01432 845878 to provide details for our weekly appeal page.

Donate online: Go to the web donation page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?charityCampaignUrl=herefordtimescampaign Also, www.thehaven.org.uk gives plenty of fundraising suggestions with a direct link to the Hereford Times campaign from the main donate page this week.

Cash or cheque: Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Haven’ and can be sent to Haven Appeal, c/o The Hereford Times, Holmer Road, Hereford HR4 9UJ or The Haven, 37 St Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2JB.

Please write Hereford Times on the back of cheques. Cash donations can also be handed in at The Haven in St Owen Street, Hereford.

Text: HFDT88 plus amount to 70070 Share article

Credit cards: Can be paid by phone at 01432 361061 or online through The Haven website www.thehaven.org.uk

- Call The Haven on 01432 361061 for further information.