Clinical Nurse Specialist, Karen Lord, has received funding to investigate how patients with asbestos cancer, mesothelioma, can improve their quality of life
Karen Lord, a Clinical Nurse Specialist based at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, has been awarded a grant for £8,000 by the asbestos-related cancer charity, Mesothelioma UK and the National Lung Cancer Forum for Nurses (NLCFN). Significant donations from long term supporters of Mesothelioma UK, Pat Stone Meso Support, have enabled the charity to award this grant.
Karen Lord will conduct a national study to identify evidence-based recommendations for living well with mesothelioma, using the views and observations of patients, family carers and healthcare professionals.
Karen Lord’s study will involve interviews with patients to identify any common themes around what constitutes living well. Studies involving patients with other long-term conditions have highlighted patients’ need for self-esteem and reliable professional and peer support, retaining personal responsibility and preserving identity.
The study will investigate if these findings apply to mesothelioma patients or if there are unique factors that enable them to live well.
The qualitative study will consist of two stages:
The findings will be used to produce a guide to living well with mesothelioma for patients, carers and healthcare professionals.
Karen said: “I am grateful to Mesothelioma UK, partnered with the NLCFN, for the opportunity to undertake this research. It is so important to understand how people affected by mesothelioma can ‘live well’ and to share those findings with others in a similar position. I look forward to the challenge.”
Liz Darlison, Mesothelioma UK Head of Services, said: “Mesothelioma UK is delighted to continue working in partnership with the NLCFN Research Interest Group to provide annual grants that support nurse-led mesothelioma research. We are grateful to Pat Stone Meso Support and other charity supporters whose valuable contributions make this possible.
“How to ‘live well’ with long-term conditions such as cancer is a priority of UK government. However, little research exists to help us understand what ‘living well’ means to people with mesothelioma and their families. This study will provide very useful clinical evidence to influence care and services, and help patients. We wish Karen every success and look forward to helping to evaluate and disseminate findings in due course.”
Mesothelioma UK is committed to supporting research into all aspects of treatment and care related to mesothelioma. Each year it partners with the National Lung Cancer Forum for Nurses (NLCFN) to make funding available for NLCFN members to undertake a small-scale research study, a complex audit or a preliminary enquiry to support a larger grant application.
Mesothelioma UK is a national resource centre dedicated to providing specialist mesothelioma information, support and improved care and treatment for all UK mesothelioma patients, their carers and health care professionals. The centre promotes the development of Specialist Mesothelioma Nursing practice and funds 18 specialist nursing posts around the UK.
Visit www.mesothelioma.uk.com to find out more.
