Seeking support
When you are first diagnosed with cancer, it is normal to experience a range of emotions, such as fear, sadness, anxiety, anger and frustration.
It may help to talk about your feelings with:
- your partner, family members or friends
- members of your treatment team
- a counsellor, social worker or psychologist
- your religious or spiritual adviser
- a support group
- a Cancer Connect volunteer who has been through a similar cancer experience
- people on an online discussion forum - see www.cancerconnections.com.au
- the Cancer Council Helpline.
More information
- See Talking to Kids About Cancer.
- See Emotions and Cancer.
Practical and financial help
A serious illness often causes practical and financial difficulties.
Some organisations and government agencies offer different types of help, such as:
- financial assistance
- home nursing care
- Meals on Wheels.
More information
- Contact your hospital social worker.
- Call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.
Understanding Cancer program
If you want to find out more about cancer and how to cope with it, you may find Cancer Council's Understanding Cancer program helpful.
Caring for someone with cancer
You may be reading this because you are caring for someone with cancer. Being a carer can be very stressful. To learn more, see the information for carers.
Cancer information library
Following a cancer diagnosis, many people look for information about new types of treatment, the latest research findings, and stories about how other people have coped. The Cancer Council Library has more than 3,000 resources in the collection that members of the public can borrow.
