If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, are living with cancer or undergoing cancer treatment please browse this page and its links. This space is for all those who have a cancer diagnosis, with cancer support, tips, and practical solutions to common (and some uncommon) issues.
How to deal with a cancer diagnosis?
Everyone and everyone's cancer is different. No one can tell you how to act or feel and there is no right way to deal with your diagnosis.
Self-care however is very important and, as much as you can, you will need to look after your mental and physical health (within the boundaries set by your specialists and your illness).
Your diagnosis may trigger many emotions which are not familiar to you or may increase existing emotions. These emotions can change daily, hourly or minute by minute and although everyone does respond differently, common emotions with a cancer diagnosis are below.
We point these out because we want you to know that you are not alone and that if you are experiencing any of these emotions, it is not only understandable but a normal response (and if you don't experience any of them, that is ok too!).
Scared? It can be scary when you are told you have cancer. Some fears for cancer are based on rumors and false facts. So when you are faced with worries it is important that you get proper guidance. Recent surveys suggest that people with good medical knowledge or who trust their health care professionals have a greater chance of successfully following treatment and rehabilitation (and so they respond better). After the treatments and during the recovery period can also be a stressful time and there can be some anxieties about life changes. We have plenty of articles to help, but we are not medical professionals, so please do not use our site as a substitute for medical advice.
Hopeful? When someone accepts their cancer diagnosis there is always an underlying sense of hope. There's plenty of good reasons for optimism. Although the number of people with cancer is increasing rapidly, your chances of survival from cancer have increased more dramatically than ever in recent years. And many people living with cancer have an active life – even during therapies. In some cases hope can help a patient deal better with side effects of therapies and symptoms of cancer.
Lonely? Cancer can often cause loneliness. It is usually normal to feel isolated during therapy and it can be hard to relate to people who are going about their normal lives. It could be useful to find support groups (in the real world or online) with people who are going through the same thing as you. Facebook, for example, has many groups for people of all different stages of cancer and different cancer types. We also have a general support group on Facebook for positive cancer chat.
Guilty? Many people blame themselves (or others) for their cancer (even though this is almost always unwarranted). Others may feel guilty because they worry about people they love. It's also normal for someone with cancer to envy people who have good health and then feel embarrassed at that feeling. These feelings pass and are normal. If guilty feelings are consuming you it could be a good idea to talk about these with a professional or support group.
Overwhelmed? When a cancer patient first gets their diagnosis, it is normal to feel like the situation is uncontrollably bad. In these circumstances, it could be helpful to learn about the specific cancer and stage (from a reputable source) and/or treatments. The more information you have the more confidence you may get and the more you could feel in control of the situation. Ask your health professionals questions if you are up to it. There are no stupid questions, and it is their job to inform you as honestly and compassionately as they can.
Angry? Sometimes you feel anger toward your doctors, friends, and/or family members. If you are religious, that could also cause a sense of anger. Anger is normal, you don’t have to suppress it. There is no right way to feel. If you feel like you can’t express it with family or friends let your health professional know.
Do you think you have cancer?
If you have come to this page because you suspect you might have symptoms of cancer, for example
This is not the place for you. The above is not an exhaustive list, nor are we suggesting that you have cancer if you have any of these symptoms
The following links have more useful information about suspected cancer than our website: