A BARROW grandmother credits services provided by a cancer charity with giving her a second chance at life.

When Melissa Fox was recovering from breast cancer she turned to CancerCare in Barrow for help, not anticipating that it would completely change her life in more ways than one.

Melissa said the hypnotherapy she received to help her cope with the fact she had had cancer also helped her to deal with a severe alcohol problem caused by personal problems.

Care worker Melissa said hypnotherapist David Faratian had saved her from self-destruction and helped her to realise that there was a lot to live for.

Melissa recently had the ‘all clear’ from breast cancer following her treatment five years ago.

She said: “I felt fine even during my treatment for breast cancer but I had a lot of anxiety afterwards and, due to some other personal problems, I was drinking too much.

“I had heard about CancerCare and when I spoke to the team they suggested that hypnotherapy might help.”

CancerCare’s Barrow base is at the Trinity Church Centre on Warwick Street near Abbey Road.

Free hypnotherapy, counselling, aromatherapy massage and other therapies are available to people affected by cancer.

Melissa said she did not know what to expect from the hypnotherapy sessions.

She said: “It’s not like what you see on TV where the hypnotherapist makes you do different things.

“David taught me various methods for coping with how I was feeling and behaving.

“He helped me to see that I didn’t need to drink to escape from my negative thoughts.

“He also gave me a recording to listen to and help me relax. I’m usually quite hyper but he showed me ways to relax.

"I saw him six times at his premises at Roa Island and he was very professional.

“Being treated by David has made such a difference to my life.

"I’m not addicted to alcohol now and I don’t want to go back down that road again.”

Melissa attended Alfred Barrow Girls’ School and then Dowdales School in Dalton before leaving to work in various local factories including Blair’s in Dalton and Lister’s in Barrow.

Melissa said she would recommend it to others.

She added: “Life is so much better now.

“I don’t think I would still be here if it wasn’t for David and the hypnotherapy.”

David said: “Hypnotherapy has a very good track record in helping people to deal with any limiting belief, behaviour or emotion they were not born with.

Email tct@cancercare.org.uk or call 01524 381 820 to find out more.