Our counsellors provide support to patients and family members throughout diagnosis, treatment and in the dealing of day-to-day worries which cause severe strain on an individual's mental health. Up until the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020, ELF employed one counsellor to manage the needs of blood cancer patients and their families, referred from the RD&E's Haematology Centre.
On 9th May 2022, we expanded the capacity and breadth of the ELF counselling service through the provision of a bank of six independent counsellors. Funding a larger bank of counsellors not only enables us to support more patients, but also a greater number of family members in need of our help. Our improved service assists those coming to terms with the diagnosis of a loved one, the physical strain of supporting their treatment journey, and in some sad instances, bereavement counselling. Additionally, ELF is now able to offer counselling at alternative locations away from the busy hospital environment. Our counsellors provide each patient or family member, referred to ELF by the NHS, with at least six one-hour-long sessions.
If you would like to make use of the ELF Counselling Service, please speak with a member of the NHS ward staff at the Haematology Centre. Alternatively, please contact ELF via email enquire@elfcharity.org.uk or call 01392 493344 (option 2).
One patient who has benefitted from our counselling support is Adele:
When I was diagnosed, I was in emotional shock. I couldn’t deal with anything except my illness. Everything was too much effort. I have lots of ups and lots of downs. It partly depends on how much pain I’m in and how well I’ve slept. Counselling has been the biggie for me, especially since I’ve had to wait so long for surgery. ELF has been a tremendous support throughout my journey. Support from ELF both during and after I finished treatment was way above and beyond what I expected."