Beyond the Physical: Supporting Mental Wellbeing in Cancer Care
Join Mel Pickup, Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals, for a thoughtful and honest conversation with Dr Merry Hill from the Cancer Psychology service and Mandy Blackburn, Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Beginning with the powerful reflections of a patient, this episode explores the reality that cancer is not just a physical journey, but a deeply emotional and psychological one. Merry and Mandy discuss what happens in the moments after a diagnosis, the weight of uncertainty, and why the end of treatment can sometimes feel harder than the beginning.
They share how Bradford’s Cancer Psychology service works alongside Clinical Nurse Specialists to support patients and families through some of the most difficult conversations of their lives — from treatment decisions and fear of recurrence to palliative care and what a “good death” really means.
This is an open and compassionate discussion about living with uncertainty, the importance of communication, and the quiet but vital role psychological support plays in cancer care.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here: