Other help
Swindon based help
- Therapeutic Work in Gardening in Swindon (TWIGS - self or GP referral);
- the Forget-Me-Not Clinic which is really aimed at helping the onset of dementia in older people;
- the Swindon Coalition of Disabled People;
- Hazel and I have both been receiving reiki and massage treatments from Jackie Montague, who is energising and positive and really helpful in coping and supporting us;
- our MP, Michael Wills, has also been extremely helpful in finding new ways forward and new opportunities for us to pursue. You can find your MP through Up My Street, among other sources;
the Clapham Hobbs Centre in Gorse Hill is a free day centre aimed at those with disabilities and learning difficulties, as well as those people like Hazel who don't fall into 'traditional' categories of need. Contact through Social Services;
- the Swindon Carers Centre offers help and support for those looking after family members who are in need of constant support;
- we have self-referred Hazel to the Swindon Memory Clinic at the Victoria hospital.
Regional help
- Oxford Centre for Enablement, which sounds great, but information is sketchy and Hazel has never been referred;
- Maggie's Cancer Centre, Oxford, which offers free advice and courses and is particularly helpful in arresting fears around radio and chemotherapy. There are a few centres nationally.
General national help
- Shaw Trust, a national charity aimed at finding work for those denied opportunity in the workplace through ill-health, disability or learning difficulty;
- Macmillan Nurses, who we have criminally underused, but offer support, advice and a source of help and friendship;
- MIND has regional offices and Swindon's branch is based in the town centre;
- the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) is the organisation that should be contacted for comments regarding your healthcare. However, comments involving multiple trusts and/or consultants and/or departments may to too complicated for one PALS to deal with.
- Gemma, a brain tumour sufferer, found hope through homoeopathy. Her story, which is an incredible one, and her homoeopathic business details can be found here (she is now a trained homoeopathist).
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