Cancer Society supports Tararua patients in Covid 19 coronavirus lockdown

Cancer Society support care co-ordinator Cherie Rissetto. Photo / Sue Emeny

Support for Tararua's cancer patients continues throughout the national Covid-19 lockdown but it is being delivered in a different way.

Cancer Society support care co-ordinator Cherie Rissetto is, like many others, working from home and is maintaining contact with patients through regular phone calls and emails.

"Unfortunately I can't make any home visits at this time but I am still able to provide support and advocacy."

One of the main areas of help Rissetto is providing is with financial support and the paperwork that involves.

"Some family members may have lost their jobs during the lockdown so they need to liaise with a social worker at Palmerston North Hospital or Arohanui Hospice.

"That is the quickest way for them to receive assistance from Work and Income."

Rissetto said some patients who live away from the main towns in Tararua are still being taken care of.

"The rural delivery drivers have been very helpful and are able to deliver whatever is needed out to Herbertville and Pongaroa."

Rissetto said new referrals for cancer support were being accepted and assessments were also carried out over the phone.

The Dannevirke Community Health Shuttle service has been stopped until mid-July but this has not affected getting cancer patients to their treatment at Palmerston North Hospital.

"One person is able to drive to Palmerston North for treatment and three others have a person in their bubble who can drive them over."

With only a small pool of volunteers to call on, Rissetto said if necessary she would drive patients to their treatment. It was just a matter of obtaining the correct protective gear.

She said there were also other drivers in Palmerston North who were available.

While therapeutic massages were not being offered at this time the Cancer Society's counselling service was still operating.

In the meantime, Rissetto is in constant contact with Cancer Society management and team, and making sure the families in her care are being looked after.

"It's a very different way of working, not just for support staff but for the
whānau as well."

Rissetto works Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 8.30am to 4pm. Call her on 0800 777 842.