You do not have to be alone with your blood cancer. There are ways you can connect with others and get their advice encouragement and support. Some options include the following. You can even join several of these at once if you like.

Blood Cancer UK Forum Covers every blood cancer diagnosis and although run by a UK charity it is open to people from anywhere in the world. They also have a telephone support helpline you can call as do several of the other charities listed later in the article.

WhatsApp group for readers of Blood Cancer Uncensored. This is a group which is small, friendly, intimate conversation. We sometimes meet up by Zoom calls too. We chat about all kinds of things including sometimes sharing Scripture verses or prayers with each other. It is open to people of all faiths or none and any blood cancer diagnoses. We sometimes discuss the faith, psychology, and the philosophy of how to handle the challenges of living with a blood cancer. If you would like to join this faith type group (open to ALL ages and people of all faiths or none) then email adrian.warnock@gmail.com.

Facebook Group for Blood Cancer Uncensored readers. This private group is not to be confused with the public Facebook page where anyone can read your comments. It is a great place to meet up with a small hand full of people and ask questions or discuss thoughts that spring from things written here. We sometimes bounce ideas around in there before posting on it here.

Facebook Groups for various types of blood cancer. There are large groups with thousands of people in them for each of the blood cancers. Rather than list them all here some of them are listed in our own private group or you can simply search Facebook for your blood cancer type and join. These groups can be fantastic for asking questions like “Do other people with my type of blood cancer experience fatigue and what tips help cope with it?

WhatsApp group for under 60s with CLL from anywhere in the World. This is a fun friendly group. If you would like to join please email gail.wiegman@cllsupport.org.uk or norah.grant@cllsupport.org.uk

Local Area Support Groups A number of charities have run face to face support groups for a while. Many of these are now meeting online. You can invite yourself to join one of these groups even if it is hundreds of miles away at the moment. Here are some options. Most of these charities also run a telephone support helpline:

• CLL Society USA Support Groups
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society USA
• Lymphoma Action UK
• Leukemia Care UK