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‘Sometimes you really need a hug : How Macmillan s telephone buddies help isolated cancer patients Macmillan Cancer Support’s Buddies scheme ensures vulnerable patients, still shielding, don t have to face the disease alone 12 December 2020 • 6:00am Terminal cancer patient Lizzie Tovey (right) and her Macmillan buddy Sonia Tudor (now in her support bubble) Credit: Andrew Fox When you’re diagnosed with cancer, you need to have a big support team behind you,” says Keith Flanagan, a 71-year-old who, as one of an estimated quarter of a million patients who fall into the “clinically extremely vulnerable” category, has been shielding since February. “You wouldn’t be able to cope without these people – they’ll bring you things you hadn’t realised you need.” With face-to-face support services reduced this year to protect vulnerable cancer patients from the risk of coronavirus infection, almost one in four have experienced loneliness o ....