Peer Support Day: An event for anyone experiencing cancer

11 November 2022

A police officer who has been living cancer-free for five years is using her own experience to support her colleagues by organising the Force’s first ever Cancer Peer Support Day.

Federation representative Emma Arthurs-Newman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and, having received chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, has been living cancer-free for the past five years. 

Since then, she has used her own experiences to help her colleagues, and on Friday 18 November, will be hosting a Cancer Peer Support day for Suffolk and Norfolk officers.

“When I was first diagnosed, my line manager was amazing but outside of my immediate team, there were so many mixed messages. My aim is to join the dots up so people know how to get the support they need and not feel so isolated - whether they’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or are caring for somebody living with cancer,” said Emma.

“Unfortunately, I ended up finding out that I could’ve received a lot of additional support after I actually needed it.”

From being able to apply for a blue badge during treatment to reasonable adjustments being made at work, Emma says there is so much information, advice and support that she missed when she needed it most.

“They might seem like small things to people not going through it, but they’re actually really big and can make a huge difference. Even just being able to park closer to work or having the flexibility to work from home - I found out about these things too late,” continued Emma.

“I had lost my hair due to treatment and I couldn’t work, I felt like I was losing my identity. It sounds really silly but even just knowing that it was OK for me to be off sick, would have been huge for me. It would have made my experience a lot more positive.”

As well as offering essential information and advice to colleagues, Emma is trying to stop the stigma surrounding cancer and educate supervisors, so they can better support members of their team who are living with cancer.

Emma added: “I was fortunate because my line manager was very understanding but the care and support is not consistent across supervisors.

“And it’s no fault of the supervisors, it’s just a lack of communication, education and awareness. The supervisors need support, after all, they are humans too and hearing about people in their team having cancer can be difficult for them.

“And what’s more, everyone is different. You might have two members of staff who have been diagnosed with cancer on your team, but with totally different needs.”

Over the past few years, Emma has been hosting monthly virtual meetings for colleagues across Suffolk and Norfolk who are living with or caring for somebody with cancer.

“Other than family members, I didn’t know anyone else who had experienced cancer when I was diagnosed, and that was hard,” explained Emma.

“I want people to know that they’re not alone. I always refer to this as ‘the worst club in the world but full of the most amazing people’.

“I want for people to open up, support one another and also to show people that I have come out the other end. There is hope.

“And it’s not just people that are living with cancer, it’s their carers too. I don’t think anyone ever asked my wife is she was OK when I was having treatment but cancer impacts everyone. Cancer is an illness like no other.”

Cancer Peer Support Day will be taking place at Suffolk Police headquarters, and everyone is invited but especially those living with cancer or caring for somebody with cancer and those who know somebody living with cancer.

As well as Federation representatives attending the event, UNISON reps will be there, as well as workplace health, reflexology and nutrition experts.

Local charities ‘The Big C’ - which supports people living with cancer - and ‘On The Ball’ - specifically helping those with testicular cancer - will also be attending, as well as national cancer support charity Macmillan.

“I try to promote the phrase, ‘if it’s got bumps then look for lumps’ so I’ll be bringing props to get people talking and educating them about what to look for,” said Emma.

“I’m really passionate about breaking the taboos around cancer and checking our bodies for lumps. People are getting better at listening to their body but there’s still more work to be done.”

Cancer Peer Support Day will be taking place on Friday 18 November at Suffolk Police HQ, from 1pm until 5pm.