CANSA recognises the importance of support groups for cancer Survivors, Caregivers and loved ones, and offers them the opportunity to join a caring community, when they join their local CANSA Support Group, or one of CANSA’s online support groups.
Our active Support Groups connect cancer Survivors (patients / those in remission), their loved ones and Caregivers with others who have “been there”.
Here members will interact with others who have a real understanding of their life experience, and mutual sharing of coping strategies and valuable information may take place.
Bereavement support is also provided by CANSA.
CANSA Support Groups (Face-to-Face)
Contact your local CANSA Care Centre for more details.
CANSA and Netcare Support Groups
CANSA and Netcare have partnered to establish cancer support groups at nine of the private healthcare group’s hospitals. These support groups will be open to all persons impacted by cancer, from newly diagnosed individuals starting their cancer treatment journey to cancer Survivors, even those who have been in remission for years, as well as family members and caregivers.
In February 2020, CANSA and Netcare announced the establishment of support groups at nine Netcare hospitals, situated across five provinces. Plans for in-person support meetings were however thwarted with COVID-19 spreading throughout South Africa as from the next month, the subsequent lockdown, and the ongoing prevalence of the pandemic.
Uncertainty about when in-person support group meetings will be able to resume has left many cancer patients and survivors without the much needed support offered at these gatherings, and we trust that the virtual meetings will provide a practical alternative. Read more about the National Virtual Cancer Support Group, established by CANSA and Netcare….
Meetings:
Register for your Zoom link ahead of the time, or view recording of previous sessions:
- 23 October 2021 – Management and Care after a Mastectomy (recording available)
- 25 September 2021 – Mental Resilience during Cancer (recording available)
- 28 August 2021 – Mindful Movement – to help combat fatigue and restore well-being (recording available)
- 24 July 2021 – Dietary Tips (recording available)
- 26 June 2021 – Launch of Support Group (recording available)
Men Supporting Men Online Support Group
Meets monthly…
- Launch of Men Supporting Men Support Group – 27 November 2021
CANSA Tele Counselling
CANSA Tele Counselling can be accessed via the CANSA Help Desk on 0800 22 66 22 toll free, to make an appointment with a CANSA counsellor. Or send an email to the Help Desk via counselling@cansa.org.za – this is a confidential, professional, cancer-related telephonic counselling service to cancer patients, caregivers and their families and parents or guardians of children living with cancer. Counselling is available in seven languages (English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, siSwati, Sesotho and Setswana) and is free of charge.
