Advocacy support
A leukaemia diagnosis can affect many parts of everyday life, not just your health. You may need support at work, help navigating the healthcare system, or guidance on practical issues. Our Advocacy Officer is here to help you understand your options and feel supported through these challenges.
Our service explained
Being diagnosed with leukaemia can bring complex medical, practical, and personal challenges. At Leukaemia Care, we understand how overwhelming this can feel for patients and those supporting them.
Our Advocacy Officer offers free, confidential, one-to-one support to help you understand your rights, make informed decisions, and navigate systems that may feel confusing or difficult. Their role is to provide clear information, guidance, and signposting, so you feel more confident and supported.
What the Advocacy Officer can help with
The Advocacy Officer can support you across a range of areas, including:
Employment rights and workplace support
- Advice on your employment rights following a leukaemia diagnosis.
- Information about reasonable adjustments and how to request them.
- Guidance on occupational health processes and workplace conversations.
- Support exploring options for returning to work, including interviews and explaining gaps in your CV.
- Information about ill-health retirement and what the process involves.
- Personalised letters of support to help explain your diagnosis and its impact in the workplace.
Navigating the healthcare system
- Guidance on seeking second opinions and understanding referral processes.
- Help identifying specialists for your specific type of leukaemia.
- Support understanding medical terms and treatment plans, working alongside our Nurse Advisors.
- Help comparing treatment options to support decision making.
- Information about clinical trials to discuss with your haematology team.
- Advice on raising concerns with PALS and understanding hospital complaints processes.
Everyday practical support
- Information on travel insurance, life insurance, and vaccinations.
- Letters of support outlining medical needs or urgency around housing issues.
- Basic guidance on power of attorney and where to seek further advice if needed.
- Signposting to reliable organisations and relevant local services for extra support.
A listening ear
Sometimes you may just need someone to talk things through with. The Advocacy Officer offers a compassionate and understanding approach and will take the time to listen, explain your options, and help you decide on next steps.
Scope and limitations
While the Advocacy Officer can offer guidance, information, and signposting, they are not able to:
- Provide legal advice.
- Directly coordinate services, such as making medical referrals, arranging shared care, or attending meetings on your behalf.
However, they can explain processes clearly, outline next steps, and refer you to trusted organisations where specialist support is needed.
For advice about benefits, grants, or financial support, please contact our Welfare Officer.
How to contact the Advocacy Service
Our Advocacy Officer aims to ensure you do not have to face the practical challenges of leukaemia alone.
You can contact the Advocacy Officer for free and confidential support by completing the form below or by calling our helpline on 08088 010 444. We aim to get back to you within 5 working days, and together you will agree next steps.
Contact our advocacy service
A member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible; please give as much detail as possible in the form to enable us to help you as quickly as possible.
Privacy
We’ll use the information you provide to deliver advocacy support and advice, including processing health information. Your data will be handled in line with our Privacy Policy: leukaemiacare.org.uk/privacy. Questions: preferences@leukaemiacare.org.uk.
Testimonial
Your guidance and encouragement during a particularly difficult period at work were deeply appreciated, and I remain grateful
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