"You get to the end of your cancer journey and then there's nothing", says bereaved husband
Steve Hammond set up the organisation Life After Care Essex (LACE) with his late wife, Jo
We're hearing from an Essex man - who set up a cancer support group with his late wife - that there's a lack of support for carers of those with cancer, as well as emotional support after cancer treatment.
It comes as the number of people living with cancer in the UK will hit 3.4 million this year, the highest figure ever reported, figures suggest.
Data analysed by the cancer support charity Macmillan found that roughly half a million more people will be living with cancer in 2025 than five years ago.
Steve Hammond lost his wife, Jo, in July 2023 after she was re-diagnosed with stage 3 bladder cancer.
Whilst she was going through treatment for the first time, Steve tells Greatest Hits Radio "medical provision was always very good but you get to the end of your journey, and there's nothing."
"Counselling just doesn't work for everybody."
He continues: "Rather than talking to a professional, sometimes there's a need to talk to other people that get what you're going through."
It was during Jo's treatment after the Covid lockdown that the pair set up Life After Care Essex (LACE).
"She was struggling with not seeing people, not being able to go to face-to-face appointments.
"She wanted to be able to speak to people who were going through the same journey so she started LACE."
"It was originally done as a walk and talk group so people could begin their recovery on the physical and mental side" says Mr Hammond.
"Talking to others, she felt that her mental state was improving massively even though she still had the anguish of having cancer and accepting the inevitable end."
LACE is a community interest Company (CIC) which supports anyone affected by cancer.
They offer a ‘walk and talk’ group in Markshall Estate in Coggleshall every week, as well as other activities such as meditation, yoga, pottery painting and art lessons.
"The aim of this group is to offer something different, something 'outdoors' where people can take in some fresh air, where they can conduct some 'exercise', appreciate the wildlife and plants whilst walking and talking in a safe environment" says Mr Hammond.
Cancer support charity, Macmillan, warns that the experience of having cancer is getting worse for many people, with delays to treatment and sometimes a postcode lottery of care.
The estimated 3.4 million people who will be living with cancer as of December 2025 includes around 890,000 women with breast cancer, 610,000 men with prostate cancer, 390,000 people with bowel cancer and 120,000 with lung cancer.
A YouGov poll of more than 2,000 people last year found a third felt it was harder to be living with cancer now than at any other time they could remember, increasing to 48% of those who also had a serious disability.
Mr Hammond tells us more needs to be done for carers too:
"I've been there myself, your whole life revolves around your partner and getting their mental state back up, whilst you're dealing with everyday life and that."
"For partners, family members, and carers, there is very little provision."
"We'd spent our whole lives together and then all of a sudden there's a big huge hole in your life."
Macmillan chief executive, Gemma Peters, has said: "The number of people living with cancer in the UK is rising, and for many, things are getting worse.
"There are unacceptable gaps between the best and worst experiences, and people are being left behind.
"Governments across the UK have a unique opportunity to revolutionise cancer care for the future.
"By addressing the cancer care gap and ensuring every patient - no matter who they are or where they live - can access world-class care, we can set a new standard for the UK. This is the Governments' chance to shape its legacy for generations to come."
Mr Hammond hopes "to continue his late wife's legacy" and "become a charity in the next 2 to 3 years."
"I would like to offer the expansion of LACE into other counties. We've got a very good model that works. We started with two members. We've now got about 95 and more than 350 friends of LACE."
You can find out more about LACE and the services they offer here.