Specialist nurse support for women facing gynae cancer
Unhurried time, clear answers and an expert in your corner, from diagnosis to life after treatment. Online, across the UK.
A free chat within 2 working days. Your first session usually within 5 working days.
Supporting someone with cancer, or facing a different cancer? I can help you too
Your appointments are short. Your questions aren't.
A gynae cancer diagnosis turns life upside down.
Then come the ten-minute appointments, letters full of jargon, side effects nobody warned you about, and weeks of waiting for answers.
You end up Googling at 2am, retelling your story to different people, and putting on a brave face for everyone else. It's exhausting, and it's lonely.
No woman should have to face gynae cancer feeling rushed, unheard or alone.
With the right support, you can:
- Understand your diagnosis, your pathology report and your options, in plain English
- Walk into appointments knowing exactly what to ask
- Manage side effects with confidence, and know when to call your team
- Feel calmer, and less alone, between appointments
- Get back to being you: mum, partner, friend, colleague
I know how lonely the time between appointments can feel
I'm Rachel, an NMC-registered Specialist Cancer Nurse. I've worked in cancer care for over 25 years, as a ward nurse giving chemotherapy, a research nurse on clinical trials, a gynae-oncology specialist nurse at the Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre in Gateshead, and Head of Services at an ovarian cancer charity.
I've seen how much women need time, clarity and someone who knows their story. Side by Side gives you exactly that, alongside your hospital team.
More about Rachel
“I highly recommend Rachel. She is very professional, kind, patient and caring, and understands how I feel. She has the time and compassion, so you never feel rushed. She is calm and understanding, and helps us through our thoughts and feelings. Her knowledge of cancer is very high, as a former clinical nurse specialist.”
— Private client
Getting support is simple
Book a free 15-minute chat
Tell me what's going on, with no pressure to book anything.
Have your initial consultation
A 60-minute session where we get to the heart of what you need.
Get support whenever you need it
Follow-up sessions, plus seven days of messaging after each one for quick questions. After every session, you’ll get a written summary and action plan, so you don’t have to remember everything.
Not ready to talk yet? Get the free guide
Wherever you are right now, I can help
Support at every stage
Surgery and what comes next
Understanding your diagnosis and preparing for surgery and recovery.
Find out more about surgery and what comes nextLiving well on treatment
Managing chemotherapy, maintenance therapies and their side effects.
Find out more about living well on treatmentWhen cancer comes back
Making sense of your options, second opinions and clinical trials.
Find out more about when cancer comes backLife after cancer
Scan anxiety, menopause, intimacy, returning to work and finding your feet again.
Find out more about life after cancerWhen you've been diagnosed with ovarian, womb (endometrial), cervical or vulval cancer, it can feel as if your life has been taken over by appointments, decisions and worry. Hospital teams do amazing work, but clinics are busy and time is short. Side by Side Cancer Support offers one-to-one, nurse-led support by secure video call, anywhere in the UK, with in-person sessions in the North East by arrangement. I help you understand what's happening, prepare for appointments, manage side effects and cope emotionally, so you feel calmer and more in control at every stage. I never replace your hospital team: I help you get the most from it.
A Free Guide from Side by Side
Just diagnosed with a gynae cancer? Start here.
A short, practical guide to help you get your bearings and walk into your next appointment feeling more prepared.
Free Guide
Just Diagnosed? Start Here.
A short guide for newly diagnosed women
by Rachel Mugnai, CNS
What's inside
- Who's who in your gynae cancer team, and who to call
- What the words mean: type, stage, grade and your pathology report
- The questions worth asking, including the ones people often miss
- Getting ready for surgery, and looking after yourself
You don't have to work this out on your own
Book a free, no-pressure 15-minute chat and let's talk about what would help.
Or call 07356 232160