The Cove Macmillan Support Centre

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About this service

We know that a cancer diagnosis affects all areas of your life, so we’re here to help you find information and support when you need it. From information about specific types of cancer, treatments and how best to live with it, to support with finances and benefits, diet, exercise, the way you look and even if you just need someone to talk things through with. We can help give you back some feeling of control and help you feel more confident about the future.

The Cove provides the following services:

The Cove Macmillan Psychological Service
This service can help you with:

• Managing difficult thoughts & feelings relating to your experience of cancer
• Coping with tests, treatments & coming to hospital
• Working with worries that can get in the way of treatment
• Exploring upsetting events linked to your diagnosis or treatment
• Adjusting to changes in the way you look
• Noticing how cancer affects your relationships
• Facing uncertainty & fears about cancer coming back
• Moving on with life after treatment ends & building your confidence
• If you are living with cancer but are worried about dying

Please speak to your team at the hospital or someone at the Cove for a referral to this service.

Physiotherapy

How do I access this service?
Your consultant or Cancer Nurse Specialist can usually arrange a referral if there are problems you need advice about.

A physiotherapist can help you:

• build your physical fitness
• improve your energy, strength, joint range of movement, coordination, and balance
• manage the side effects or after effects of treatment
• enjoy and increase your physical activities and avoid injuries

Cove nutrition advice

The Cancer Care Dietitians at The Royal Cornwall Hospital are experienced in assessing and treating a wide range of nutritional issues or concerns that can develop as a result of a diagnosis of cancer or its treatment. If you require dietary advice, you can contact The Cove directly and ask for a dietetic appointment or ask for a referral from any member of your cancer care team that are caring for you. A dietitian will then contact you and arrange an assessment.

Wig service

We offer a confidential, discreet and personalised hair loss consultancy service, run by highly experienced and compassionate advisors. We have an extensive selection of wigs to choose from, which we can help fit, and provide a complete aftercare service. For Referral to the service, you can speak to a member of staff at The Cove, Lowen Ward, or the Headland Unit.

Reiki Complimentary Therapy

Reiki is an energy healing technique for stress reduction and relaxation, which promotes a sense of calm, relaxation and wellbeing.  It can help improve sleep patterns, alleviate anxiety and low mood, may reduce pain and other symptoms and provide an improvement in feelings of wellbeing and being able to cope.  Reiki is a safe complementary therapy for people with cancer and is used alongside conventional medical treatment.  Patients often report feeling a greater sense of calm and a deep relaxation.  Patients and carers can receive a course of four sessions at The Cove.  The therapy is available on Fridays 9:30-16:30 and is free of charge.

The Cove Café and Lounge

The Cove offers a relaxed, quiet space for patients, friends and family with indoor and outdoor seating. It is a comfortable place should you wish to wait in between appointments. It includes an extensive information section of Macmillan Booklets and details of Support Groups and Events happening at The Cove and County wide.

We have a Café offering light refreshments, although there is no need to make a purchase to use our lounge area.

For more information about any of our services, please contact us using the details further down the page.

Donating to the Cove

You can donate to the Cove online, or visit our charity website for more information and other ways to donate.

Volunteering

We have various volunteering opportunities available at The Cove. To find out more, please contact us or visit our dedicated careers website.

Feedback

We are always looking for ways to improve the services we offer at The Cove. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact us using the below details, or speak to one of the team during your visit.

Contact information

The Cove

• Telephone: 01872 256363 (9am to 4:30pm on weekdays)
• Email: thecove@nhs.net

Macmillan Support Line

Open daily (including weekends) from 8am – 8pm on 0808 808 0000.

Wig Service

To book an appointment please phone 01822 610292. Alternatively, you can speak to a member of staff at The Cove, Lowen Ward, or the Headland Unit.

Where to find us

The Cove Macmillan Support Centre is located at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

Directions from the Trelawny main entrance

Go all the way along that corridor to the end stairwell, turn left and go down the flight of stairs and exit the doors. Turn left when out onto the main corridor, then left after Lloyds pharmacy which takes you outside. Walk straight ahead where you will see a green tunnel, keep ahead through the tunnel. On your left will be some doors to go outside, exit these doors and follow the winding sloping pathway; you are now directly opposite the Cove.

Directions from C1 Car Park (Overflow)

Exit the Car Park and cross over the Pedestrian Crossing to your right.  Bear left and continue down the hill, past the Helipad and Duchy Hospital on your left.  The Cove is the blue building in front of you.

Directions from the Tower block entrance

Turn left as you come into Tower block, follow the corridor all the way around to the left until you get to Lloyds pharmacy, turn right at Lloyds pharmacy so that you are outside. Walk straight ahead where you will see a green tunnel, keep ahead through the tunnel. On your left will be some doors to go outside, exit these doors and follow the winding sloping pathway, you are now directly opposite the Cove.

Car Parking for Cancer Patients

All cancer patients receiving treatment (Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy) can park for FREE in the designated parking spaces outside the Sunrise Centre, Headland Unit or in car park 1C,

(overflow car park) located on the corner at the top of the main road by the pedestrian crossing.

Please register your details and vehicle number plate on the electronic Tablet at the reception desk in either The Sunrise Centre or Headland Unit.

Frequent Attenders

Cancer patients who frequently attend outpatient appointments (at least 3 times a month for at least 3 months) are allowed to park free of charge in car park 1C (overflow car park), located on the corner at the top of the main road by the pedestrian crossing. When you exit the car park, please press the call button and tell the operator you are a frequent attender due to a Cancer diagnosis.

Blue Badge Holders

Patients with a blue badge are welcome to park in the designated disabled spaces outside

The Sunrise Centre and Headland Unit.  If able to do so, please register details on the Tablet as above.  If these spaces are full, please park in any convenient space in car park 1C (overflow car park), located at the top of the main road by the pedestrian crossing. Prior to departure, at the Pay Station, enter your vehicle registration (press continue) and scan the barcode on the rear of your Blue Badge to facilitate free exit. Any problems simply press the call button upon exit.

Information about cancer

This content is supplied by the NHS website nhs.uk

Cancer

Patient Information (Leaflets)

Click here for a list of our Patient Information Leaflets for cancer.