Tomorrow’s Lifestyle and Wellbeing Fair to offer advice to those impacted by a cancer

A Barnstaple cancer service have organised a Lifestyle and Wellbeing Fair for tomorrow (Thursday April 24).

The Fern Centre will host this event from 10am to 2.30pm at The Cedars Inn, Barnstaple.

This will be the centre’s 3 rd fair. They began as a way to raise awareness of non-clinical cancer support available within the local community.

Over 40 stalls will be providing advice and support to cancer patients alongside their family, friends and carers.

The following talks will also be happening in the Orangery:

• 10.15am-11.30am - Healthy Eating and Nutritional Advice with Emily Watts, Oncology Dietician
• 11.30am-12.15pm - Keeping Active: Living With and Beyond a Cancer Diagnosis with Rebecca Webb, Pre/Rehab Project Physio
• 12.30pm-1.15pm - Fuel, Finance & Funding With 361 Energy with Mel Eyres, Home Energy Advisor
• 1.30pm-2.15pm - Putting Mindfulness To The Test: Coping with Cancer with Paul Beard, Wellbeing Tutor

The fair aims to empower those affected by cancer with knowledge and confidence.

Much of the advice on offer perhaps would have not been considered prior to diagnosis.

The Fern Centre is based at North Devon District Hospital.

It was established 5 years ago as a cancer wellbeing service to support North Devon cancer patients.

The centre has a wonderful volunteering team.

Some of whom received care by the centre.

They are completely reliant on donations.

The centre receives financial support through fundraising by The Royal Devon Hospitals Charity.

The holistic support that The Fern Centre specialises in strongly benefits individuals living with and beyond cancer. The fair aligns with the centre’s mission to raise awareness of this non-clinical support available for North Devon patients.

This also provides the chance for patients to form relationships based on similar experiences.

Many of whom stay connected outside The Fern Centre. This helps alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Holly Conway is the centre’s Personalised Care Support Manager. Tara is The Fern Centre Manager.

They shared their personal perspective on the positivity of the centre’s work and tomorrow’s fair.

“Giving people an opportunity to try new things and support them through their cancer diagnosis and beyond in a safe and friendly environment is what we hope to achieve at the Fern Centre.

“The Lifestyle and Wellbeing Fair gives us the chance to invite agencies and services in the community that we know will be of benefit to our patients, their relatives and carers, and includes the health and wellbeing teams from our local GP surgeries.

“At each Fair we try and make sure that we ring the changes and offer different things so that people can attend each time and find something that they didn’t know about”.