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A Loved One has Cancer

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.

CANSA BMSF Multiple Myeloma Programme

What is Multiple Myeloma? Multiple Myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Healthy plasma cells help fight infections by making antibodies that recognise and attack germs. Cancerous plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy blood cells. Rather than produce helpful antibodies, […]

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Published: 3 May 2023
Updated: 3 May 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, I have Cancer, Types of cancer

Wilderness to Wellness – A Journal for Women with Cancer to Benefit CANSA

CANSA will receive 20% of the profit from the sale of Wilderness to Wellness journals for women with cancer…

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Published: 24 Apr 2023
Updated: 30 May 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, I have Cancer, Our Cause Related Marketing Partners, Women's Health

CANSA Ask The Expert Virtual Support Group – 26 April 2023

Join our virtual support group – on 26 April 2023 – where guest speaker, Dr Kerry-Ann Louw discusses depression and anxiety.

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Published: 21 Apr 2023
Updated: 30 May 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support Group – 22 March 2023

22 March 2023 – CANSA support group member, Ben George, shares his journey with cancer.

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Published: 16 Mar 2023
Updated: 23 Mar 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support Group – 22 February 2023

22 February 2023 – Topic:  Palliative Care and My Cancer Journey – the speaker is Dr Thilo Govender…

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Published: 20 Feb 2023
Updated: 22 Feb 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 7 December 2022

Whytie de Witt will be sharing about his cancer journey…

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Published: 2 Dec 2022
Updated: 9 Dec 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

Cape Argus Facebook Live – Get Educated About Breast Cancer – 27 October 2022

Watch video recording – Dr Francois Malherbe, Head of Breast and Surgical Endocrine Unit Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, and Lucy Balona (CANSA) discussed breast cancer on Facebook…

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Published: 25 Oct 2022
Updated: 22 Dec 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 8 October 2022

Virtual CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 8 October 2022 with Shaheed Mahomed.

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Published: 6 Oct 2022
Updated: 10 Oct 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

Seminar: Unpacking the Implications of Constitutional Guarantees on the Right to Health for Cancer Patients

CANSA / Cancer Alliance invites you to a seminar on 6 October 2022 “Unpacking the Implications of Constitutional Guarantees on the Right to Health for Cancer Patients”…

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Published: 25 Sep 2022
Updated: 7 Oct 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer

Children, Food and Cancer  

In September, CANSA raises awareness of childhood cancer and the importance of support for children and parents affected specifically regarding food and diets. CANSA TLC partnered with B-well to produce a booklet, ‘Understanding a Child’s Dietary Needs When They are Diagnosed with Cancer’ for parents to better manage the dietary side effects their children experience while on cancer treatment…

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Published: 20 Sep 2022
Updated: 17 Oct 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, Caregiving and Cancer, Dietary Tips

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 27 August 2022

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 27 August 2022. Our speaker will be Michael Meredith (neuroendocrine lung cancer Survivor, trained counsellor and end of life doula…

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Published: 25 Aug 2022
Updated: 29 Aug 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

Men Supporting Men Support Group with Xylon van Eyck – 23 July 2022

CANSA invites male cancer patients and survivors to join our next support group meeting via Zoom.  We are excited that our speaker will be Xylon van Eyck, cancer survivor and Ironman athlete, sharing his journey and how he overcomes challenges…

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Published: 21 Jul 2022
Updated: 28 Jul 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

Support is At the End of a Telephone Call

CANSA is committed to protecting the rights of cancer patients and caregivers, having established a free Tele Counselling service (available in seven languages), two years ago in commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July).  CANSA recognises commitment to human rights and that all affected by cancer are entitled to psycho-social support…

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Published: 15 Jul 2022
Updated: 1 Sep 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Eastern Cape, CANSA Free State, CANSA Gauteng, CANSA KwaZulu-Natal, CANSA Limpopo, CANSA Mpumalanga, CANSA North West, CANSA Northern Cape, CANSA Western Cape, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 25 June 2022

Join the CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group on 25 June 2022 from 9 00 to 10 00…

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Published: 24 Jun 2022
Updated: 27 Jun 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

CANSA Pain Manager App for better Quality of Life

As part of International Cancer Survivors’ Day, CANSA launches a free CANSA Pain Manager app, in association with the Centre of Community Technology at Nelson Mandela University (CCT), sponsored by Pfizer. It’s in the format of a diary or calendar allowing the patient / caregiver to input relevant information such as logging pain experienced daily and allows input reminders of medication schedule / dosage and appointments.

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Published: 1 Jun 2022
Updated: 1 Sep 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Men's Health, Women's Health

Cancer Webinar with Bounti – Reduce Your Cancer Risk

Recording available: #CANSASmartChoice partner bounti (a Discovery Vitality partner) and Lisa Raleigh hosted webinar focused living a cancer preventative lifestyle, coping during the cancer journey and supporting those in remission…

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Published: 25 May 2022
Updated: 7 Jun 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, CANSA Webinars, I have Cancer

CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 28 May 2022

Join the CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group on 28 May 2022 | 09:00-10:00

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Published: 23 May 2022
Updated: 24 Jun 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

Palliative Care for Cancer Patients – What We Should Know

Any patient can request palliative care! It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided alongside potentially curative treatment…

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Published: 2 May 2022
Updated: 16 Aug 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health

CANSA Collaborates with Alignd to Increase Access to Palliative Care

CANSA has partnered with Alignd, a value-based care and patient-centric organisation working with medical schemes to improve access to and cover for palliative care from diagnosis of serious cancer…

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Published: 2 May 2022
Updated: 6 May 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Women's Health

Men Supporting Men Support Group for Cancer Patients – 19 March 2022

Male cancer patients finally have the opportunity to meet each other and share in a safe space. Male cancer patients are invited to join the next support group meeting via Zoom: Saturday, 19 March 2022…

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Published: 17 Mar 2022
Updated: 22 Mar 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health

CANSA – Guardian of Cancer Patients’ Human Rights 

On 21 March, Human Rights’ Day is celebrated coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, that enshrines the rights of all people in South Africa and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) upholds and helps protect the human rights of cancer patients, by speaking on behalf of patients through its Advocacy and Service departments and facilitating improved access to medication, treatment and palliative care…

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Published: 16 Mar 2022
Updated: 19 May 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, About CANSA, Advocacy, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News

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