New partnership between Lancaster charities will help support people affected by Multiple Sclerosis

The MS Society has recently identified a need for an offering of one-to-one therapy services for individuals affected by MS.

The society has agreed to fund the first six therapy sessions at CancerCare for clients who have been diagnosed with MS or have a family member or friend who has received a diagnosis.

CancerCare North Lancashire & South Cumbria provide free one-to-one counselling and complementary therapies to children and adults affected by cancer, bereavement and life-shortening illnesses, including MS.

CancerCare’s services will be delivered by trained and experienced therapists. Clients must complete the referral process prior to accessing CancerCare’s services.

The services that the MS Society will fund include counselling, hypnotherapy, nutrition, EMDR, massage, aromatherapy and reflexology. Therapy services can be provided face-to-face or online, depending on the type of therapy, and clients can also access services in person at CancerCare’s Morecambe or Lancaster centres.

After the initial six sessions, clients will have the opportunity to stay within CancerCare to access further sessions if required.

CancerCare’s head of development and engagement Bethany De Hert said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the MS Society. This is a valuable opportunity to directly enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by MS.

"CancerCare has a proven track record of delivering high-quality therapy to local people in need and we are ready to provide these essential services to those impacted by MS.

“Alongside this, this partnership helps us broaden our understanding of supporting those with MS, strengthen our service offering and ultimately meet the needs of those within the Lancaster and Morecambe community.”

The MS Society added: “We are very much looking forward to our partnership with CancerCare. This opportunity will enable us to further support people affected by MS within the local areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and the Bay area.

“Statistically there are over 400 people within these three areas affected by MS. We understand the importance of supporting people through good quality collaborations and making good use of public donation for which we rely on to continue running as a local support group.”