HOPE (Help Overcoming Problems Effectively)

HOPE is Macmillan’s online self-management programme (‘Help Overcoming Problems Effectively’) which empowers people living with cancer to manage their health and wellbeing. The course is based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy.

The course is designed for anyone who’s had a cancer diagnosis, whether your cancer treatment finished some time ago or you are currently receiving it.

HOPE provides people living with or after a cancer diagnosis with the knowledge, skills and confidence to cope with many of life’s challenges, frustrations, fears and isolation.

The programme enables people to recognise their own potential, increase ability to cope and improve resilience to enhance quality of life. It builds skills to feel more confident in dealing with anger, depression and uncertainty and increase ability to handle stressful situations. It provides knowledge of relaxation methods to refresh the mind and body and shows how to make plans and achieve goals.

HOPE aims to teach you how to become more relaxed, improve your confidence in setting positive goals, learn stress and fatigue management skills and explore any worries you experience when dealing with cancer.

HOPE is a free 6-week online programme. The course is based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy. Each week the course covers topics like:

• smarter goal setting
• priorities and values
• living positively with fears for the future
• building character strengths
• physical activity
• eating well
• managing stress
• coping with fatigue

It includes quizzes, worksheets, audio and video materials, interactive gratitude and goal setting and social networking via online forums. You can do the course on your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

The course is facilitated by trained facilitators and health professionals who themselves have an experience of living with cancer.

HOPE will take around 3 hours each week for the six week period of the course.

This will include up to 2 hours to complete each weekly session by yourself, which you can complete at any time which is convenient to you.

“I was a little sceptical about taking part in the course to begin with, I’m unsure why. However, I am so glad I made the decision to take part. It has given me lots of strategies and tools to use and a different way to look at certain situations. Everyone in the group has been so supportive of each other.”

“In my opinion, the weekly online group was a major factor in helping me to complete the iHope course and benefit from it. Sharing experiences and feelings with others made me feel as if I was not alone.”

“Thank you so much for facilitating the Hope course. I have really enjoyed doing it and learnt a lot. I especially think that the weekly Microsoft Team meetings we had to talk about our progress and keep in touch with one another, were very beneficial.”

“I just want to thank you for allowing me to do the course. I found each week incredibly thought provoking, and I have made copious notes, which I have been re-reading. I found the parts on unhelpful thinking especially pertinent. What a very clever course - I have so much more understanding of my thought process now, and a load of strategies to use.” “Dad (and myself) found the iHope course very beneficial and got a lot out of it and he now has a more positive outlook on life because of it.”