The responsibility rests with patients to contact CANSA for assistance. Read more...
Your blood runs cold, as you try to take in the news that your loved one has cancer.
Finding out that a loved one has cancer can be an overwhelming experience, leaving you in a state of shock. You may feel frightened, angry or saddened by the news. You may even try to deny that this could happen to your loved one.
You quickly embark on a steep learning curve about cancer, medical terminology, treatment options, and wait anxiously with your loved one for test results or treatment outcomes. There are countless decisions to be made and financial hurdles to overcome.
You may feel ill equipped to support and care for your loved one, or feel guilty because you are not coping, when they are the one facing a life threatening disease. You may feel resentful that cancer has changed your lives and burdened you both. Your loved one is also going through physical and emotional changes due to the side effects of treatment, and you may feel at a loss to deal with these changes. All of these things leave you feeling exhausted.
You need help – every bit as much as your loved one and you need not face this alone.
It is important to acknowledge your feelings and to arrange for support for yourself, if you are to help your loved one.
CANSA offers counselling and you are welcome to join our Facebook Support Group CANSA Survivors – Champions of Hope for loved ones and patients. Here you can connect with others in a similar position and find valuable tips to help your loved one cope with treatment. Find more online resources to help your loved one…
Remember to take care of your physical and emotional needs – eat well and get enough exercise and sleep. Also make sure that you don’t neglect regular health checks and cancer screening.
PPT: What to Say to a Colleague with Cancer
Leaflet: What to Say to a Colleague with Cancer
Adolescents and young adults with cancer (13 to 24 yrs) are invited to attend a Zoom discussion around their needs on Monday, 2 December 2024… – link to Zoom will be shared upon RSVP – deadline for RSVP has been extended to Friday, 29 November 2024.
Read morePublished: 26 November 2024
Updated: 4 December 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA on the Move for the Youth, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer
Participate in the survey, open until 15 November 2024 – the information gathered helps local patient organisations and IKCC create education, awareness and advocacy programmes that accurately respond to the needs of people affected by kidney cancer. Success depends on hearing from many patients and carers in many countries and learning about their experiences living with kidney cancer. We hope you will help…
Read morePublished: 5 November 2024
Updated: 21 November 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer
This is a toolkit we all need. Join the SeriAAAS Resilience Project by Conn Bertish Brain Cancer Survivor – Improve #MentalHealth by joining live-streamed webinars, Monday to Friday, from 13 00 to 14 00, throughout October…
Read morePublished: 21 October 2024
Updated: 5 November 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, CANSA on the Move for the Youth, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health
Join us on Tuesday, 22 October from 09:00 to 11:30 for an informative session about breast cancer.
Read morePublished: 17 October 2024
Updated: 17 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Reduce Cancer Risk, Women's Health
CANSA shares some helpful tips to support breast cancer patients who undergo surgery as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer affecting women of all races in South Africa…
Read morePublished: 5 October 2024
Updated: 15 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Highlights, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Women's Health
CANSA shares some helpful tips to support breast cancer patients who undergo surgery. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer affecting women of all races in South Africa, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 26 according to the National Cancer Registry of 2022. It affects women of all ages, although the risk increases as […]
Read morePublished: 25 September 2024
Updated: 26 September 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
Coping with the loss of a breast or part of a breast due to cancer is a deeply personal and challenging experience. Whether you’ve lost a part or your entire breast(s), it’s normal to mourn that loss. It’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to feel and that individuals have […]
Read morePublished: 25 September 2024
Updated: 26 September 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
CANSA knows that many women are affected by breast cancer in South Africa and that it affects women of all ages, though the risk increases as a woman gets older. Breast conserving surgery (a lumpectomy), or surgery to remove the entire breast(s), known as a mastectomy, or to investigate if the cancer has spread to […]
Read morePublished: 25 September 2024
Updated: 26 September 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
Each person heals at their own pace after breast cancer surgery – CANSA has prepared a few helpful tips to aid recovery: 1. Prescribed Medication If antibiotics were prescribed, take them after meals, as directed. Do not stop taking them because you feel better. Do not take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medication for 2 – 3 […]
Read morePublished: 25 September 2024
Updated: 7 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
Join our guests in this podcast as they discuss important topics regarding childhood cancer, CANSA TLC Facilities and Resources – On the CANSA Couch
Read morePublished: 25 September 2024
Updated: 15 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Free2Bme Support for Teens and Young Adults, CANSA on the Move for the Youth, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, On the CANSA Couch Podcasts
Knowledge gaps surrounding women’s health and cancer can prevent women from seeking appropriate healthcare services or discussing their symptoms openly. This delays the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, leading to worse outcomes. CANSA consistently promotes cancer awareness and early detection through education and screening.
Read morePublished: 23 September 2024
Updated: 2 December 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, About Cancer, Advocacy, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Reduce Cancer Risk, Screening & Cancer Control, Types of cancer, Women's Health
For World Lymphoma Awareness Day, on 11 September, CANSA along with members of Lymphoma Coalition is encouraging Honest Talk about how we’re feeling.
Read morePublished: 10 September 2024
Updated: 3 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, CANSA Webinars, CANSA's Holistic Cancer Care & Support, Caregiving and Cancer, Cope with Cancer, Counselling & Support Groups, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Support Groups, Women's Health
Join us on Tuesday, 17 September from 09 00 to 11 30 for an informative session on three cancers affecting women, namely, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer…
Read morePublished: 9 September 2024
Updated: 17 September 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
This year’s theme for World Lymphoma Awareness Day, held on 15 September annually, is ‘It’s Time for Honest Talk’. CANSA and other similar patient organisations across the world are encouraging people affected by lymphoma, to start having open and frank discussions about this cancer to help them navigate the challenging treatment journey from diagnosis… CANSA is going one step further by hosting a lymphoma webinar on 11 September 2024 that aims to encourage honest talk about the disease among those affected by it. A panel of social workers and patients will be sharing their experience and tips on how to get the lymphoma conversation started. Find out more and register online….
Read morePublished: 6 September 2024
Updated: 15 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA on the Move for the Youth, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Women's Health
This book is written with love and care by Cherry Armstrong, a palliative care nursing sister, to help ease the journey for cancer patients and loved ones. R5 per book, sold in South Africa, will be donated to CANSA…
Read morePublished: 5 August 2024
Updated: 6 February 2025
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, Fundraising Events & Projects, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Our Cause Related Marketing Partners, Women's Health
World Lung Cancer Day on 1 August is a global initiative that helps to build awareness about this cancer type’s serious emotional effects that can slow down the healing process and lower the positive effects of treatment. Locally, CANSA provides much-needed mental health support to lung cancer survivors, their care givers and their loved ones.,,
Read morePublished: 29 July 2024
Updated: 28 August 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Women's Health
International Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated during June, placing the spotlight not only on cancer survivors, but also their caregivers…
Read morePublished: 6 June 2024
Updated: 28 August 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Women's Health
The Love Shack SA will donate R20 from the sale of every cancer awareness T-shirt sold, and R7,50 per standard mug and R9,50 per magic mug sold…
Read morePublished: 2 June 2024
Updated: 11 October 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, Caregiving and Cancer, Fundraising Events & Projects, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Our Cause Related Marketing Partners, Women's Health
The third instalment of this webinar series addressing “odd ball” cancers: Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and Testicular cancer.
Read morePublished: 21 April 2024
Updated: 24 April 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, About Cancer, Advocacy, CANSA Webinars, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health
The second instalment of this webinar series addressing treatment modalities for cancer patients.
Read morePublished: 18 March 2024
Updated: 26 March 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, About Cancer, Advocacy, CANSA Webinars, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health
CANSA TLC’s ‘Feeling Sad’ book is a sensitively written story that explains a young boy’s challenge after his mother dies from cancer, helping to normalise his fears and find ways to handle his grief. The book was written by Sally Anne Carter and illustrated by Alison Guy. Download Book: Feeling Sad
Read morePublished: 27 February 2024
Updated: 27 February 2024
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme
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