Supporting
Supporting
Info for Health Professionals
VolunteeringEverything we do is built around our Four Pillars of Support: Mind, Body, Spirit, and Community. These pillars reflect the holistic approach we take in supporting anyone affected by cancer.
When you’ve been affected by cancer, whether it’s through your own diagnosis or that of a loved one, it can feel overwhelming. Fear, anxiety, sadness and uncertainty are all completely natural responses. But you don’t have to face this alone.
You don’t need to be at a certain stage in your cancer journey to benefit from our support, we’re here for you whether you’re newly diagnosed, in treatment, or adjusting to life after cancer. We are also here for you if you are a care giver for a loved one that is living with cancer.
MindSupporting your mental and emotional wellbeing is a key part of what we do. From counselling to relaxation groups to a listening ear and complementary therapies that boost your wellbeing, we’re here to help you feel less overwhelmed and more in control. Looking after your mind is not a luxury – it’s an essential part of living with the impacts of cancer. When your thoughts feel calmer, everything else becomes a little easier to manage. | BodyCancer and cancer treatments can take a real toll on the body. Fatigue, pain, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, and physical side effects can all impact your quality of life. That’s why supporting your physical wellbeing is so important. We offer a range of complementary therapies and groups designed to help you care for your body, from gentle exercise groups and nutrition advice to massage, reflexology and other therapies. These can help ease side effects, reduce pain, improve your energy levels and boost your overall sense of wellbeing |
SpiritA cancer diagnosis can leave you questioning your very sense of self. Some of our clients report that they feel this particularly strongly once cancer treatment is over and they are expected to return to ‘normal life’, a sense of ‘what now?’. Nurturing the spirit is a vital part of living with cancer. We are here to support you to find a sense of peace and strength. Our complementary therapies can help you find moments of calm and our groups offer a range of mindful activities to give you a break from anything that is on your mind. We don’t have all the answers, but we can offer our support in a calm and welcoming space. Taking care of your spirit is just as important as taking care of your body. | CommunityA cancer diagnosis can feel incredibly isolating. You might feel that no one quite understands what you’re going through or that you’re carrying the weight of it all by yourself. Our clients sometimes tell us that they have amazing families and friends, but they still feel isolated, partly because they see the worry in their loved one’s eyes and don’t want to add to that by sharing their true feelings. That’s why community is so important. Whether it’s sharing a cup of tea at the Centre, attending a support group, or taking part in an activity in quiet companionship with others who get it, there’s something about being together that feels supportive. You don’t have to explain. You don’t have to put on a brave face. You can bring your real self and your true feelings. |
The Cancer Support centre helped me to deal with the upset and fear I felt. They helped me to sleep again and taught me techniques I could use myself to help me relax. I had some one to one therapies to address specific things that bothered me, and they made a real difference.
Then I got involved in volunteering at the centre. This really helped me to regain quality of life, as feeling useful helped me to rebuild my confidence and self-belief and to get back to work. Happily I now have the all clear.
The treatment the NHS gave me saved my life, but at the end of Treatment then what? They are busy helping the next person … I didn’t wish to return to my old life but also didn’t know how to move into a new life (or what that looked like!). CSC held my hand gave me the tools that I needed to move forward, step by step.
The group workshops really helped and I took loads of information away from them. In particular: Nutrition, Self Help, Reiki and Meditation. There was an element of taking back control of my life and it felt good!
