Cancer survivor encourages people to seek Jersey support

Gordon Hunt hopes sharing his story will raise awareness of local support for islanders with cancer

A Jersey Ambulance officer is raising awareness of cancer support services on the island after his battle with the illness.

Gordon Hunt was diagnosed with a large tumour in his leg in December 2021.

He said the local charities Jersey MacMillan and Cancer Relief Jersey had supported him after going through extensive treatment in the UK.

Mr Hunt said he hoped to raise awareness of the local support so islanders did not "suffer in silence".

"It's given me that reassurance that things were ok or things would be ok for me to then be able to dedicate myself to sort of battling with the cancer and battling with the surgery and getting back to before normal," he said.

He added "thank you isn't enough" to the local support the charities gave him and his family.

"The charities in the island don't get the recognition that maybe they deserve," he said. "I wouldn't have been able to go away with as positive spirits as I needed, I also wouldn't have felt as supported as I did."

Gordon Hunt was diagnosed with a Grade 3 T4 tumour, a large sarcoma in his leg, in December 2021

Jersey Cancer Relief provides financial assistance for islander patients for things such as travel to the UK and medical supplies.

Kerry Moisan, administrator for the charity, said Mr Hunt sharing his story was "the best advertising we can have".

"Somebody who knows exactly what we do and how we do it for them, and them sharing it... breaks down a lot of barriers."

Service manager at Jersey Macmillan Pam Aubert said the cause offered free emotional support to islanders with cancer alongside their families and friends.

She added that Mr Hunt's testimony showed "the services we provide to anyone affected by cancer really do make a difference".

Mr Hunt was declared cancer free in August.

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