Books can help you in all sorts of ways. 

Today we are sharing comments from people who have borrowed books from the Cancer Information Centre here at the Christie:

“The book has given me some language
to help deal with expressing my feelings
about my husband’s terminal illness and chemotherapy treatment”

(When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanthi)

 

“It helped me to be more positive about
my future. And to understand more why
I felt as I did.  What she writes is so true”

(Thrive: The Bah Guide to Wellness After
Cancer by Stephanie Butland)

 

“ I have never really enjoyed poetry
anthologies but this was different –
I engaged emotionally with so many
of the poems”

(Being Alive edited by Neil Astley)

 

For more information about the Patient Book Collection, click here 

“The cancer story is changing, with cancer now considered a long term condition.”

Macmillan

10 ways to ease pain via NHS.UK

1. Get some gentle exercise
2. Breathe right to ease pain
3. Read books and leaflets on pain
4. Counselling can help with pain
5. Distract yourself
6. Share your story about pain
7. The sleep cure for pain
8. Take a course
9. Keep in touch with friends and family
10. Relax to beat pain

Cancer Research UK is a rich resource, with many links and downloadable leaflets on managing cancer pain. Click here to browse them.

It is so important that patients are able to access quality and trustworthy health information. We highly recommend the Behind the Headlines section on NHS.UK which breaks down the science behing health related news stories:

www.nhs.uk/news

5 steps to mental wellbeing via NHS.UK

1. Connect: with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
2. Be active: you don’t have to go to the gym. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
3. Keep learning: new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence.
4. Give to others: even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word.
5. Be mindful: be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.

All Christie staff and volunteers are invited to the Library’s reading group, get in touch with us if you have any questions. It is a lovely way to connect with colleagues and we always provide refreshments! 

It is Health Information Week!

Each day we will be posting some bite size health information on our blog.

Monday’s theme is: Healthy Lifestyles so here are ten benefits of stopping smoking from the Live Well section of nhs.uk

1.Stopping smoking lets you breathe more easily

2.Stopping smoking gives you more energy

3.Ditch the cigarettes and feel less stressed

4.Quitting leads to better sex

5.Stopping smoking improves fertility

6.Stopping smoking improves smell and taste

7.Stop smoking for younger-looking skin

8.Ex-smokers have whiter teeth and sweeter breath

9.Quit smoking to live longer

10.A smoke-free home protects your loved ones

More information and links are on the NHS website

In case you missed it, Charlotte Finchett, lead stop smoking specialist at The Christie blogged about smoking cessationin Greater Manchester here

The Christie Library and the Cancer Information Centre both have books that may help, get in touch if you are interested.

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