Ms Gemma Fort:

I will add to that point. When young women come in who may have young families, the whole family needs support. When cancer comes in the door of a home, it casts a shadow on everyone there. We are all recognising that through the provision of services for children. A number of our centres are providing play therapy for children whose mothers or fathers are going through cancer. At present, we are delivering a programme for young people who have lost their fathers to cancer and are all between eight and 12 years of age. They are very young. That is a very tender age and vulnerable time to lose a parent. We are able to provide services for a mother coming in who may have breast cancer, but we then find that women are living with metastatic breast cancer, and their health needs and psychosocial needs change as they get older. We are supporting them and could also be supporting their partners through counselling, in addition to the children. It is a whole family approach.

It is all free of charge because the impact of cancer on the financial situation of a family is massive. To be able to get services free of charge is a weight off their shoulders. If they know they can get play therapy for their children, counselling for themselves, or things like wig fitting, or bra and prosthesis fitting free of charge, that is a huge weight off. We cannot do that without support.