Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: Clinical care in the comfort of your home
For women navigating ovarian cancer, March is more than just a month on the calendar.
It is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – a time when charities shine a light on symptoms, early diagnosis, and survivorship. But for those already diagnosed, we know awareness often takes a different form. It becomes about awareness of your own body during treatment, awareness of the impact on your family, and awareness of the choices available to you.
A diagnosis brings with it a complex treatment pathway, often involving surgery and cycles of chemotherapy. It can feel like your life is suddenly on hold, replaced by a schedule of hospital appointments, travel, and waiting rooms.
However, clinical care is evolving. At Lloyds Clinical, we know that for many women, receiving elements of their cancer care at home can provide a vital sense of normality and control during a difficult time.
In this guide, we explore what specialist clinical care outside of hospital looks like for ovarian cancer patients and the practical difference it can make to your daily life.
Why awareness matters for patients and families
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a later stage, which can mean treatment needs to be aggressive and immediate. We know this intensity can be overwhelming.
Awareness Month is a crucial time for the public to learn about symptoms like persistent bloating and abdominal pain. But for patients, it is also an opportunity to ask questions about how they are treated. It is a time to have open conversations with consultants and insurers about options that might reduce the burden of hospital visits.
We know that awareness empowers choice. When you understand that clinical care doesn’t always have to happen within hospital walls, you can start to build a treatment plan that fits around your life.
The reality of ovarian cancer treatment
Treatment for ovarian cancer typically involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. According to the NHS, the main treatments are often delivered in cycles, which might mean visiting the hospital every few weeks for several months.
While essential, we know this routine can take a heavy toll:
- Physical Fatigue: The side effects of chemotherapy, such as fatigue and nausea, can make the journey to and from the hospital exhausting.
- Emotional Strain: Sitting in clinical environments for hours can serve as a constant reminder of the illness, making it harder to mentally switch off.
- Disruption: For women who work, care for children, or simply value their independence, the “patient” identity can start to overshadow everything else.
This is where the option of clinical therapies outside of hospital can change the experience.
What does clinical care at home actually mean?
It is important to be clear: treatment at home is not a replacement for your oncologist or surgeon. It is a service that works alongside them.
At Lloyds Clinical, we provide clinical therapies outside of hospital, in patients’ homes and communities. This means specialist nurses come to you to deliver specific parts of your medical care. For ovarian cancer patients, this can include:
1. Administration of medication
Depending on your specific treatment plan, some chemotherapy drugs, targeted therapies, or supportive medications can be administered safely at home. This might be via an injection, a drip (infusion), or oral medication delivered directly to your door.
2. Blood tests and monitoring
Before every chemotherapy cycle, you typically need blood tests. Instead of driving to a clinic, a specialist nurse can visit your home to do this, sending the results directly to your consultant. You will also complete a toxicity assessment and we will provide support on managing the side effects.
3. PICC line and port care
Many patients have a PICC line or an implantable port to make receiving chemotherapy easier. These require regular cleaning and flushing. Our specialist nurses can manage this maintenance in the comfort of your living room.
4. Symptom management
Our nurses are there to support you with the side effects of treatment, such as nausea or dehydration. Having a clinical expert in your home allows for early intervention and reassurance.
The benefits of staying at home
We know that being at home promotes healing. It isn’t just about convenience; it’s about control.
Reclaiming your time
When you remove the travel time, the parking stress, and the waiting room delays, you gain hours back in your day. For some, that’s time to work from home; for others, it’s simply time to rest in your own bed immediately after treatment.
Reducing anxiety
Hospitals can be anxiety-inducing environments. Receiving care in your favourite armchair, with a cup of tea made exactly how you like it, can significantly lower stress levels. As one of our patients noted, “I feel much less anxious at home.”
Protecting your immunity
Chemotherapy can lower your immunity, making you more susceptible to infections. By staying home, you limit your exposure to hospital-acquired infections and crowded waiting areas.
Is it safe?
Safety is the most common question we hear, and rightly so.
We are one of the most experienced providers of specialist clinical care outside of hospital in the UK. For nearly 30 years, we’ve pioneered access to clinical therapies in patients’ homes. We are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), just like a hospital.
- Clinical Excellence: Our nurses are highly trained specialists in oncology. They follow strict protocols to ensure treatments are administered with the same clinical rigour you would expect on a ward.
- Connection to your Consultant: We act as an extension of your hospital team. Your consultant remains in charge of your care plan, and we report back to them after every visit.
- 24/7 Support: We know that cancer doesn’t stick to office hours. Our patients have access to 24/7 on-call support, ensuring expert advice is always just a phone call away.
How to access clinical care at home
If you have private medical insurance (PMI) or are funding your own care, you may be able to access these services immediately.
1. Speak to your consultant
The first step is to ask your oncologist if any part of your treatment can be delivered at home.
2. Check your insurance
Contact your insurance provider to see if clinical care at home is covered in your policy. Many insurers view these services favourably.
3. Ask about Lloyds Clinical
Your consultant can refer you directly to us. We handle the coordination, the medication delivery, and the nursing schedule, liaising with your insurer to make the process seamless.
Support beyond the clinical
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder that you are not alone. While we provide the clinical care, there are incredible organisations dedicated to emotional and practical support.
You can find answers to many common questions in our FAQs section.
If you are looking for further information, we recommend:
- Ovacome: For support groups and a dedicated support line.
- Target Ovarian Cancer: For detailed guides on living with ovarian cancer.
- Macmillan Cancer Support: For broad advice on finances, work, and emotional wellbeing.
Feel in control with Careology
Careology helps you stay on top of every aspect of your treatment, from managing your symptoms to your medication reminders. The app is available to download on your smartphone or tablet through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You may have already received an email from us inviting you to sign up.
The Careology app is designed to support you throughout treatment, keeping everything you need all in one place. You can use the app to keep connected with your clinical team and wider support network in between appointments for complete peace of mind.
Your care, your control
We know a cancer diagnosis changes everything, but it shouldn’t take away your choices.
At Lloyds Clinical, we empower patients to fit treatment around their lives. Whether it’s managing side effects, avoiding the motorway traffic, or simply having the freedom to be a mum, a partner, or a professional first – and a patient second – we are here to help.
It’s what we know.
If you would like to know more about how we support women with ovarian cancer, or if you want to discuss your specific needs, please get in touch with our team today.
