Cancer support groups Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology Support groups offer people the chance to talk to others who have been in their situation and who may have a greater understanding of how they feel.

Many people who have cancer get the support they need from their families and friends. However, generally family or friends who’ve not had cancer can’t fully understand what they’re going through. Support groups are there to help, with many different types offering various therapies. These include:

• Counselling sessions and complementary therapies
• Organised activities
• Talking groups offering the opportunity to chat to others, share experiences and helpful hints

Some support groups are for a specific type of cancer e.g. prostate, breast, lung etc, whilst others are more general cancer support groups. Often a health professional is involved with a support group to help with the running of it, and gives talks and general advice.

Support groups are also open to family, friends and carers of cancer patients. For them, going to support groups can often help them make more sense of what is happening and allows them to gain information and advice on how to help.

Group sessions are not for everyone and for some, one-to-one discussions are better. Many cancer organisations offer one-to-one help for patients or carers, often by phone.

Healthcare staff at your hospital can provide information on local support groups.

This article was first published in February 2009.