Emotional and psychological support

Living with cancer: a six week course

This six-week course is designed to help you understand more about the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and managing symptoms and side effects. The sessions will look at how to find out information – what questions to ask and how to ask them.

It is also an opportunity to explore the emotional impact of the disease for you and others and to find ways of dealing with those feelings. There is also a chance to learn more about relaxation therapies and the importance of nutrition. Each session will have a short presentation and then time for questions and discussion.

Week 1
Diagnosis and treatment: an introduction to the types of cancer and forms of treatment.

Week 2
Managing side effects and symptoms: an introduction to how you can improve symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatment and how to get the best out of the NHS.

Week 3
The impact of cancer: an overview of how a diagnosis of cancer can affect the way you feel and the effect it can have on relationships.

Week 4
Dealing with the emotional impact of cancer: a discussion about various strategies that can help in dealing with your diagnosis.

Week 5
Nutrition and cancer: what impact diet has on health and what you can do to help yourself.

Week 6
Relaxation and Stress Management: an introduction to relaxation and visualisation and an opportunity to discuss other therapies.

Lunch or light refreshments will be provided for each meeting. The aims of the course are to give you an opportunity to find out more about your diagnosis, treatment and side effects. The course will be general to all cancers but will be flexible enough to answer specific questions about your own situation. We also hope that the course will allow you to discuss the impact cancer has had on you and give you the chance to explore ways of dealing with those emotions.

Caring for Someone with Cancer: a six week course

A six-week course to find out more about cancer and its effect on you or your partner.

This course will help you to understand the impact of cancer on you.  There will be an opportunity to learn more about the disease, it’s management, and your role as a carer.  The sessions will look at how to find out information – what questions to ask and how to ask them.

It is also an opportunity to explore the emotional impact of the disease for you and others, and to find ways of dealing with those feelings.

There is a chance to learn more about relaxation therapies and the importance of nutrition.  Each session will have a short presentation and then time for questions and discussion.

Week 1
Diagnosis and treatment: an introduction to the types of cancer and forms of treatment.

Week 2
Managing side effects and symptoms: an introduction to how you can manage symptoms of cancer and the side effects of treatment, and how to get the best out of health care services.

Week 3
The impact of cancer: an overview of how a diagnosis of cancer can affect the way you feel and techniques for managing psychological distress.

Week 4
Cancer and relationships: the role of the family and others in supporting those with cancer.  Strategies for dealing with the impact of a diagnosis of cancer on relationships, family and friends.

Week 5  
Food, eating and cancer: an opportunity to explore issues to do with cancer food and nutrition as well as problems that can occur for cancer patients and their carers in relation to food and eating.  The impact of diet on health and how to care for yourself, as well as those you care for.

Week 6
Relaxation and stress management: an opportunity to learn some relaxation strategies to help you and those you care for.

The course will be general to all cancers, but will be flexible enough to answer specific questions about your own situation.  We also hope that the course will allow you to discuss the impact cancer has on you and give you the chance to explore ways of dealing with those emotions.

Individual Support

Each Maggie’s Centre is staffed by a team of experienced cancer professionals. Generally, each centre will have a team that consists of:

Cancer Information Specialist
Clinical Psychologist or Counsellor
Benefits Advisor or Welfare Rights Advisor

You can visit any of our centres, without an appointment, and talk to a member of the team to discuss what we can help you with, and the most appropriate element of our programme of support for you.

In addition, we can offer an appointment with our Clinical Psychologist or counsellor, who provides individual sessions where you can talk, get support and learn strategies for dealing with a diagnosis of cancer and it’s consequences.

An appointment may be made by visiting a Maggie’s Centre, and speaking to one of our team.

Support Groups

Maggie’s runs a variety of support groups. These vary from centre to centre, please contact your local Centre for full details.

*For anyone who has, or who has had, cancer.

*Each group is led by a cancer support specialist.

With the support and encouragement of our cancer support specialists and of each other, group members learn to develop strategies for coping with their practical and emotional concerns.

Research shows us that those who participate in support groups experience improvement in their mood and quality of life. They are more likely to be hopeful and determined. This in turn will have a positive affect on how they handle their medical treatment while it is going on, and on what is happening in the rest of their lives.

Family & Friends Support

* Anyone caring for someone with cancer can join the group.

* The group is led by a cancer support specialist.

Many people are greatly relieved to realise that there are others in similar circumstances that they can share their experiences with on a regular basis.  

With the support and encouragement of our cancer support specialists and of each other, group members learn to develop strategies for coping with their practical and emotional concerns.