My Cancer My choices in Wokingham has received a donation of £4,875 from the VINCI UK Foundation to help better equip and upgrade their complementary therapy spaces for people living with cancer.

My Cancer My Choices empowers individuals living with cancer by offering free complementary therapies to enhance their mental and physical wellbeing. Founded in 2014 by Mandy Barter and Liz Lee, the organisation provides treatments that are safe to use alongside conventional cancer therapies. These therapies help alleviate side effects such as peripheral neuropathy, nausea, sleeplessness, pain, and hot flushes, and improve mental health by reducing anxiety and depression. This gives service-users a sense of control during a challenging time.

The organisation provides a safe environment where people can relax and be heard by supportive individuals. Group sessions, including mindfulness and yoga, foster community and help combat isolation. Additional holistic support includes a lending library and signposting to relevant organisations. Currently serving those in Berkshire, My Cancer My Choices plans to expand its services to South Oxfordshire within the next year.

The primary beneficiaries will be service-users—adults diagnosed with cancer, up to 6 months post-treatment—in Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. This year, 291 individuals received therapies, and 4 mindfulness and yoga courses were conducted in Berkshire. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase with the addition of new treatment rooms in Charvil, Henley, and East Berkshire.

Additionally, the project helps the families and carers of their service users as they receive signposting and support, and respite while their loved ones are treated. Nursing teams in hospitals also benefit, as they can recommend proven therapies, reducing the number of patients needing or returning for support at rehab centres.

Finally, staff and volunteers benefit by knowing they are changing the lives of people with cancer. They also gain from collaborating with the professional team at Axians UK and seeing how their hard work and dedication have inspired Sara Mann to support My Cancer My Choices.

“We are absolutely delighted that we’ve been successfully nominated by our sponsor, Sara Mann. Sara has used My Cancer My Choices’ services and is passionate about helping us to offer the best and most comfortable experience to others receiving our complementary therapy treatments whilst going through their cancer journey. The VINCI UK Foundation funding, as well as money that Sara and her colleagues have raised, is enabling us to upgrade some of our older treatment couches, as well as equip additional new complementary therapy spaces next year, which will improve the service we offer to hundreds of people we support across Berkshire and beyond, and we couldn’t be more grateful!” says Claire Rhodes, Chief Executive Officer, My Cancer My Choices.

In addition to the financial contribution, My Cancer My Choices will receive the support of a VINCI UK Foundation Sponsor, Sara Mann (From Axians UK). Sara was informed about the charity by her local NHS Breast Cancer team following her cancer diagnosis. Sara has been registered with My Cancer My Choices since March 2023 and has received complementary therapies. She will be the main facilitator and coordinator in building a strong, supportive relationship with the staff at Axians UK. They will assist My Cancer My Choices (MCMC) in various ways, including providing volunteers for community engagement and fundraising events, participating in fundraising challenges, and offering pro-bono support from skilled staff. This support includes reviewing and testing the new website design, proofreading new leaflet copy, and providing peer mentoring to My Cancer My Choices staff. Sara’s impressive network of contacts and her ability to share her story will foster a positive collaboration between the organisations.

“Having already spent two years battling breast cancer, I know the importance of this amazing charity. They offer a range of free complementary therapies to patients like myself in Berkshire, easing side effects and boosting mental wellbeing whilst undergoing cancer treatment. I am so proud to be giving something back to My Cancer My Choices and this donation will help towards furnishing two additional treatment rooms in other locations.  This will ensure more cancer patients get access to these free complementary therapies during a really difficult time in their lives.” Says Sara Mann, Customer Success Manager, Axians UK.

The VINCI UK Foundation was founded in 2016 with the mission to strengthen communities by improving access to employment, housing and mobility for society’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

Since then, the VINCI UK Foundation has combined almost £1.6million in financial support with the practical skills and expertise of VINCI employees to help over 289 charities or community projects championing social inclusion across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Find out more about My Cancer My Choices and the VINCI UK Foundation.