We are delighted to welcome Adele Oddy from Somavita, a massage therapist working from her practice in Pontyclun, South Wales. Adele has worked for  twenty-five years in health research within the NHS and cancer charities, and understands the negative impact stress, illness and chronic conditions can have on the body, and the importance of wellbeing and self-care.  Adele will be present at our SE Wales group session on Monday 17th February  talking about the benefits of massage following a cancer diagnosis and answering any questions you may have.

Some of you may remember Kerry, our lovely hairdresser and wig specialist who gave such an inspirational and warm demonstration for many of our ladies 2 years ago. We are also delighted to welcome back Kerry to our SE Wales group on Monday 7th April, and our W Wales group in Narberth on Friday 7th March to demonstrate some of her fabulous creations and de-stigmatise thoughts and feelings around the wearing of wigs.

As another year comes close to ending , we reflect on what has been a very challenging year for many of us, and look towards 2025 with fresh eyes. We will be adding a different structure to our groups moving forwards, with a varied selection of on-line and face to face sessions and speakers for SE and W Wales as well as more on-line educational workshops. We are awaiting confirmation of dates and will advertise these sessions later in January. In the meantime, Carys Mags and Colette wish you all a peaceful Christmas break and look forward to seeing you soon!

Dates for 2025 meetings are as follows:

S E Wales; CARDIFF Group, meeting at The Snowdrop Centre. near the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Mondays from 2 - 4pm

 17^th Feb , 10^th March , 7^th April , 12^th May , 9^th June , 14th July , NO MEETING IN AUGUST, 8^th Sept , 13^th Oct , 10^th Nov , 8^th Dec

WEST WALES; Fridays on-line from 11am - 1pm

17th January 25 face to face in Queens Hall Narberth, 14th February, 7th March, 4th April, 9th May, 6th June, 11th July, NO MEETING IN AUGUST, 5th September, 10th October, 7th November, 5th December

All Wales on-line drop in:

More info shortly.

We are delighted to introduce our NEW 'In this 2gether' ALL WALES on-line drop-in service.

Aimed for those who are working, or  unable to make our usual sessions, this will be a bi-monthly service between 7-8pm on a Monday evening for anyone who wishes to connect with others living with secondary breast cancerin Wales.  Facilitated by Carys, more dates will be available soon for 2025!

Links to other charity’s will be on the Padlet which is coming soon. In the meantime please see below :

Cancer Aid Merthyr

Rowan Tree Cancer Care

Bill Cap - WaterSure Wales tariff | Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (dwrcymru.com)

Short Breaks | 4 Cancer | Days out for families affected by cancer

Last minute – Something To Look Forward (somethingtolookforwardto.org.uk)

https://www.4cancer.org/about-us

Cancer Charity | Jill's Fundraising Journey | England (jillsfundraisingjourney.co.uk)

We're thrilled to be working with Tenovus who have developed a free one-to-one counselling service for patients diagnosed with any cancer  across Wales. Up to 6 sessions are available on-line or by phone and there is no waiting list. Please email me if you wish me to send you referral forms! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Group meetings can be a bit like pic n' mix......our personalities whilst all lovely, are also flawed, purely because we're all human beings! We each have good parts and not so good parts, bringing them all together in a room or on a screen can create an eclectic mix, that can be may things, exciting, uplifting, energising, irritating or frustrating, depending on how we feel on a particular day. Our group meetings need to feel safe and protected and for that to happen it's important to establish some housekeeping boundaries, so we can all relate to each other in a respectful way. The following has been put together by group members over the years, and reflects their needs and experiences, it's a kind of group contract. This can be added to as you see fit, it's a moveable feast.  Also as practising  therapists, group facilitators have to abide by the BACP ethical code of conduct, and whilst that might sound a little off putting, it's there to help  keep you  safe and anchored. (bacp.co.uk)

Why the group is there:

• To provide a safe therapeutic space for those with metastatic breast cancer to discuss how their condition is affecting them
• To speak freely and respectfully about personal thoughts and feelings
• To share and receive information
• To offer and receive support from each other
• To connect with those who share a similar experience
• To feel less isolated
• To be seen, heard and understood
• To have a voice; to feel empowered.

Group agreement & group dynamics; our safety contract

• Confidentiality & privacy - especially with video meetings; what’s said in the group stays in the group
• Sharing – being mindful of what you share, taking responsibility for your observations and how they may be interpreted and having an enquiring mind about other opinions that may differ to yours.
• Being supportive of each other and each person’s unique experience
• Being respectful of each other’s thoughts & feelings
• Giving space to everyone who wishes to speak & offering each other the chance to be heard
• Being mindful that not everyone may wish to speak but prefer to listen
• Giving yourself and each other permission to share your vulnerabilities in the knowledge this should feel a safe place to do so
• Trying to be honest and open about how you feel in a respectful manner
• Trying not to be judgmental; every experience needs validating and may differ to yours
• Knowing that crying or releasing emotion is OK; that it’s OK not to be OK! Triggers can be unexpected

Our safety contract; our responsibility to you as facilitators & therapists

• To offer structure - A beginning, middle & end
• To create boundaries - Time, Content, Safety, holding emotion, managing the group content
• Containment: Ebb & flow, light and shade, balance
• Psychological education: Introducing you to the potential for change through conversation, exploration and information
• Self disclosure: When appropriate and only if it’s in your best interests
• Risk: To act on and/or determine whether any disclosures may indicate a possible risk of harm to oneself or others, and to offer appropriate support, both during the group meeting and if necessary afterwards. This may also include sharing information with a GP or health care professional

 I hope the above makes sense. Please email me if you have any questions

Medical Access Cards - 'Loo cards' are available via Macmillan for you to present in shops and restaurants should you need a comfort stop. Mags has ordered these to distribute; please contact her via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you would like one sent to you.

Travel Insurance has always been an issue with over inflated prices. Our members have kindly shared the following companies:

Information updates will be put on this link regularly, so please check before emailing either Andi or I should you have any queries.

Workshop dates will also be included on this page, together with any information from Mags we think would be helpful for you. 

Zoom codes will still be sent seperately a couple of days before your meeting.

Emails for Carys concerning the S &W Wales groups to be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Emails for Mags concerning any support/information/queries about Macmillan to be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We look forward to seeing you soon!