Haverhill cancer patient works with St Nicholas Hospice Care and cancer care navigator to form a new support group in the town

A cancer survivor from Haverhill has launched a new support group for people affected by the disease.

The brand new support group held its first meeting on Friday at the St Nicholas Care Hospice hub, next to Haverhill Library.

The creator of the group, Jyoti Towers, was inspired to set it up by her own very recent experience of going through cancer treatment.

Persimmon Homes Suffolk MD Ian Hamilton presents a cheque for £2,000 to Haverhill Cancer Support Group on the day it began. The group was started by Jyoti Towers, centre, with support from St Nicholas Hospice Care and the cancer care navigator for Haverhill, Helen Ayers, second left. With them is Mayor of Haverhill, Cllr David SmithPicture: Aaron Bridgeforth

Jyoti, 54, said: “After my experience I just thought, we haven’t got anything like this in Haverhill and the nearest was in Bury St Edmunds or Cambridge and I thought, I don’t want to be doing all that travelling, why don’t we do one here, especially when you are not feeling your best.

“It’s for anyone. People who have just had a diagnosis, are in the middle of treatment or have finished treatment, or are carers.

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“Anyone who is affected by cancer in any way whatsoever.”

Having just returned to work after six months off because of the cancer, Jyoti added: “I was diagnosed in November with breast cancer, had an operation just before Christmas and I was very fortunate, I only had to have radiotherapy, not chemotherapy, so I got off lightly.

“I thought I needed to speak to people who have lived the experience.”

She added: “My treatment has finished and touch wood, that’s the end of it and I am trying to get life back on to a normal keel.”

Jyoti was helped by St Nicholas Hospice Care and Helen Ayers, the cancer care navigator for the Haverhill and Sudbury area in setting up the group.

It is free to attend and refreshments are provided. It will meet on the last Friday of each month at the same venue, the Chestnut Room, between 10.30am and 12.30pm,

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The group has also received a £2,000 donation from Persimmon Homes Suffolk, for which a cheque was handed over just before Friday’s meeting by the company’s managing director, Ian Hamilton.

The company awards Community Champions grants each quarter to selected beneficiaries.

Of the group, Jyoti said: “People can just turn up, stay as long as they want.

“They can talk as much as they want and if they don’t want to talk they can just sit there. It’s just a support group, we don’t offer any medical support.”