Boots is celebrating its thirteenth year in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, and to support the incredible work carried out by the charity, we’re funding a Macmillan nurse for one year.

This month, we caught up with Sam, who is celebrating five years in remission from cancer, to learn about the valuable support he received from a Macmillan nurse during his treatment.

Sam was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at the age of 28, after noticing a lump on his neck while in the shower. After encouragement from his wife, he decided to visit his GP and over a period of two weeks, and following a series of blood tests, ultrasound scans and a biopsy, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Looking back, he recalls: “My life wasn’t going great at this point. I’d been diagnosed with cancer, lost my job and as my wife was studying, we’d lost our household income. The next day, I met my Macmillan nurse. She played a key role in keeping me sane during this time. She translated everything into information I could understand and helped answer all my questions. She also helped me secure a one-off grant of £500 from Macmillan.”  

“My Macmillan nurse literally kept me going when I was at my lowest; they were incredible. Their support and reassurance meant the world to me. I will always be thankful for the care they showed me.” 

Thankfully, Sam experienced very few side effects from chemotherapy treatment and within two months, he was in remission from cancer.