St Catherine’s nurses not only work in the hospice in Lostock Hall, they also support people across Central Lancashire by going out and about into the community – from holding dedicated clinics for patients, to talking at cancer support groups.

This month, two of our specialist Lymphoedema nurses attended the Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Breast Cancer Support and Self Help Group, which meets at St Ambrose Church Hall in Leyland.

They spoke all about the symptoms and treatments of cancer-related Lymphoedema; a condition which can result in an accumulation of fluid in the body’s tissues causing swelling.

They work from the Woodside Clinic in the grounds of the hospice, St Catherine’s Park, but also go out into the community to raise awareness and share their expert advice with people affected by Lymphoedema.

They spoke about exercises such as swimming, skin care such as sun creams, self-massages, and breathing techniques such as blowing bubbles which can all help to reduce the symptoms on a day-by-day basis. They also talked about the specialist treatments carried out at the Woodside Clinic, such as lasers, compression sleeves, and pumps.

And the St Catherine’s CNS team (Clinical Nurse Specialists), who visit people facing life-shortening conditions such as cancer and Motor Neurone Disease in their own homes, have also started holding dedicated clinics for patients in their local GP surgeries.

Many out-patients visit the hospice in Lostock Hall to attend sessions such as Day Therapy, but some are not well enough to make the trip, and so receive care at home. The CNS team is on hand to offer advice about medication and treatments, to help with pain management, and provide emotional and psychological support too.

By offering appointments at GP surgeries for patients who are well enough to attend, they are aiming to help even more people in the community by spending less time on the road, and providing a more personalised service.

And so hospice care and the specialist support offered by St Catherine’s goes much further than the building itself.

To find more about our Lymphoedema clinic, please click here. For more information about the CNS nurses and care at home, please click here.