Hours extended at Clan Shetland
Clan Cancer Support is extending opening hours at its Shetland centre in a bid to reach more people impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
The charity, which is based at Islesburgh Community Centre in Lerwick, is opening until 7pm on the first Wednesday of every month to increase the accessibility of its services.
Clan offers listening support, complementary therapies, children and family services and cancer support groups for people going through a cancer diagnosis and their loved ones.
In addition to the monthly late night, the centre is open from 10am until 4pm from Tuesday to Friday with clients able to make an appointment or simply drop in for support.
Kay Johnston, head of cancer support services at Clan, said: “We’ve been conscious of a need to make our face-to-face services more flexible and accessible as we know it’s not always practical for people to come to Clan during the working day.
“While we have digital services available, we know that sometimes there is no substitute for in person support. These extended hours will allow our team in Shetland to reach more people who could benefit from a listening ear to ease the emotional effects that can be associated with a cancer journey.”
Clan has been providing cancer support services for 16 years in Lerwick and also provides support to Shetlanders travelling to Aberdeen for medical appointments from its accommodation based just minutes from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The charity runs “Da Clan Yarns” on the first Wednesday of every month from 2-4pm in Islesburgh Community Centre. The purpose of the group is to provide a safe space to promote support between attendees, reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness and promote wellbeing and support for all those in attendance.
The charity also recently launched an outreach service in Whalsay, following research linking a cancer gene to the Island.
Research from NHS Grampian Clinical Genetics clinic found that one in 40 people who have four grandparents from Whalsay share the same variant in the gene BRCA2.
The variant increases the chance of developing breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.
Clan provides outreach in Whalsay on the last Monday of each month and will next be at the Whalsay Health Centre offering a drop in service from 10.30am – 3pm on Monday, November 25 with more dates due to be announced for 2025. Appointments are available for those wishing to book in advance.
Anyone wishing to access Clan Cancer Support Services in Shetland is encouraged to contact the service by calling (01595) 697275, emailing [email protected] or visit the website www.clancancersupport.org
