Every two minutes, someone in the UK, is informed they have cancer. How do you deal with such a diagnosis?The famous ‘C’ word fills most people with fear. Surveys have shown it is the number one fear, therefore receiving the diagnosis that you have cancer, can be terrifying.
A cancer diagnosis affects everyone differently. Most people just want to go home and digest the information they have been given and 
this regularly leads to a flood of emotions that can be very hard to manage. This reaction is quite normal and it will take some time for you to fully understand and start to come to terms with the diagnosis.
It is common to experience a multitude of emotions, including:
- Sadness
- Feeling Overwhelmed
- Afraid
- Anger
- Guilt
- Denial
- Stress
- Anxious
- Depression
When given a cancer diagnosis, you are also given the options regarding your treatment. If you are finding it too difficult to understand or to make a decision, there is a support network you can use, to help you deal with the situation.
Most cancer sufferers find that having a network of family, friends, professionals, i.e, Macmillan nurses, are great for cancer support and will help you get through this very difficult time.
For some people, they do not want to talk to family or friends, as they don’t want to upset them, but by not turning to them in your time of need, you will very likely upset them anyway, as they want to be there for you and provide you with all the support they can.
What can be a tremendous step for cancer help is by attending doctor’s appointments and / or treatment sessions together.
When you are first diagnosed with cancer, you have so many questions and don’t know where to start, it is overpowering.
Some of the main questions you may have are:
- What kind of cancer do I have?
- Where is the cancer?
- Has it spread?
- Can my cancer be treated?
- What is the chance that my cancer can be cured?
- What are my treatment options and how will I cope?
- What are the side effects?
- How will it affect my family?
- Will I manage financially with not being able to work?
You will initially feel you have lost control of your own life, but by being able to answer the mountain of questions you may have, will help you regain the sense of control again. For many people, it helps to take a little time by yourself and write down the questions you need answers for. There are many organisations that help and support cancer sufferers and they will be able to provide you with answers and great cancer support.
Some of the organisations are:
MACMILLAN NURSES:
www.macmillan.org.uk/ Tel: 0808 808 000
CANCER RESEARCH UK:
www.cancerresearchuk.org/ Tel: 0808 800 4040
MARIE CURIE CANCER CARE:
www.mariecurie.org.uk/ Tel: 0800 090 2309
