An online wellbeing course for people living with incurable cancer and their family members across Harrogate, Calderdale & Huddersfield, Leeds & Mid Yorkshire NHS Hospital Trusts
What is the Thinking Ahead programme?
Thinking Ahead is a Health and Wellbeing Education Programme for patients living with incurable cancer, who may or may not be receiving cancer treatment, and their family members/carers. Patients from Harrogate, Calderdale and Huddersfield, Leeds and Mid Yorkshire NHS Hospital Trusts can book onto the course. It is presented by a mix of professionals from across the four areas.
The aims of the Thinking Ahead programme are:
- To help keep patients as well as possible for as long as possible
- To encourage living life to the full in a supported, self-managed way
- To offer support to family members
- To give advice on local services and how to access them when needed
- To allow an opportunity to consider future planning towards the end of life
- To give an opportunity to meet key people who may be able to help in the future
- To offer time for questions and concerns
What’s included in the programme?
Lots of professionals join the sessions to talk about important topics such as managing uncertainty and fatigue, sorting financial affairs, diet and appetite, keeping active, managing cancer progression, faith and spirituality, relaxation and an introduction to hospice services. The course introduces ‘Advance Care Planning’, helping people start to think about and plan for the end of life, recording wishes and making these known to family members and medical teams.
How does the Thinking Ahead programme run?
Thinking Ahead runs online for seven weeks, plus an optional introductory session. The weekly sessions last for 90 minutes on Microsoft Teams, which means people can join from the comfort of their own homes, and don’t need to come to the hospitals to take part. To join, people will need a computer/laptop/tablet/mobile phone with a microphone and camera. Course facilitators can help patients get set up with Microsoft Teams before the course starts, so please get in touch with any questions. Patients and family members are welcome to join the course and family are welcome even if the patient does not want to join.
To find out more about the thinking ahead programme, including how to book and testimonials, please visit the website here
Richard’s story – watch the video here
