One in four newly diagnosed cancer patients ?lacking support from family and friends?

A patient having a breast scan in hospital (Picture: Alamy)

One ?in four newly diagnosed cancer patients lacks support from family and friends, a report today shows.

About 70,000 sufferers each year are not given enough help by those closest to them, and of those, 20,000 face cancer alone.

As a result, more than half of isolated patients had skipped meals and a quarter had not been able to wash properly, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

In its report, Facing The Fight Alone, the charity said common reasons for isolation were family members and friends living too far away or patients simply having no one to turn to.

Other sufferers said their loved ones were frightened of their illness.

Ciar?n Devane, chief executive of Macmillan, said: ?Isolation can have a shattering impact on people living with cancer. Patients are going hungry, missing medical appointments and even deciding to reject treatment altogether.?

Each year, 325,000 people in Britain are diagnosed with cancer.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/11/one-in-four-newly-diagnosed-cancer-patients-lacks-support-from-family-and-friends-3400990/

arsenic and old lace leslie varez ward solar storms uganda the parent trap invisible children kony 2012