Receiving treatment from Sciensus at home is providing huge moral and psychological support for a patient and his family

After being diagnosed with cancer of the liver in July 2021, while working as an airline pilot in Vietnam, Ronald was quickly repatriated home to the UK. He underwent an operation at a London hospital to remove 85 percent of his liver, but it was then found the disease had spread, leading to cancer of the lungs. Once Ronald’s condition was stable, he was allowed to leave hospital and go home to Devon. This is where Sciensus stepped in. From October 2021, Sciensus began providing the chemotherapy treatment he needed at his home, meaning he did not have to spend more time than necessary in a hospital environment. 

Ronald was receiving intravenous chemotherapy on a three-week cycle, administered by a dedicated Sciensus nurse. He is currently on a break from the treatment, with a plan to resume chemotherapy in the new year. Ronald describes the bond he formed with his core team of three Sciensus nurses – Veronica, Carrie and Brandon – as very strong, and says while treatment has paused, he and his family miss them. 

“They almost became part of the family,” he says. “They had medical work to do, but at the same time it was like a friend coming to your house and helping you with what you were going through. It made such a difference.” 

Having spent a considerable period of time in hospital, Ronald says being able to receive all his  blood tests, medication deliveries and treatments at home has made family life so much easier. 

“I have young children, who were only three and five when I received the diagnosis,” Ronald says. “They knew daddy was ill, as I had spent a long time in hospital, and it had become a bit of a scary place for them.  

“When the Sciensus team started coming to our house, the children did wonder what was happening, but then it became normal for them because the nurses were so fantastic. They explained things to the children and answered any questions they had.” 

Support for the whole family 

Being on service with Sciensus also meant Ronald could be there for milestone events in his children’s lives, such as his youngest son’s first day of school. 

“If I had been receiving chemotherapy in hospital, I probably wouldn’t have been able to take him,” Ronald says. “But the service from Sciensus is so good I was able to text my nurse and ask if we could just start my chemo a little later and it was no problem. The fact they can do that, and I didn’t have to miss out on such an important event, is amazing.” 

Ronald says the emotional support the Sciensus team provides to both him and his wife, Tilly, is invaluable. 

“Obviously, there’s a big psychological impact when you find out you have cancer, then find out you need chemotherapy. Cancer is such a heavy, laden word, and alarm bells are going off in your head. 

“Our Sciensus nurses were there every step of the way with us, and we felt that we could talk about any worries we had with them,” he says. “It didn’t just have to be about the chemotherapy, it could be general questions about cancer. For instance, if the specialist said something we didn’t quite understand we could discuss it with them.  

“What they provided was so much more personal than just medical care. If you have a nurse in your house administering an intravenous therapy from maybe 9am to 4 or 5pm, you can imagine how much you can talk to them in that time.  

“You have a cup of coffee together, have lunch together, and they feel more like friends than somebody who is just there to look after your medical requirements. 

“I would without doubt recommend being on service with Sciensus. What they have done for our family means so much.”