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.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and CANSA is delighted to unveil an inspiring initiative aimed at making a significant impact in the lives of mid adolescents and young adults (AYA) between the ages of 13 and 25 who are facing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. The CANSA Free2Bme programme is a beacon of hope and support tailored to meet the unique needs of young individuals on their cancer journey…
Read morePublished: 20 September 2023
Updated: 22 September 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Highlights, CANSA on the Move for the Youth, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News
CANSA marks World Lymphoma Day on 15 September, raising awareness of lymphoma, a cancer impacting thousands of lives. This annual event highlights the importance of early detection, advancements in treatment, and the determined spirit of individuals living with lymphoma head-on. Chantel Memziwe, a cancer survivor, shares a remarkable tale of courage and resilience, when getting Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL). Diagnosed twice with this cancer, first in 2017 with stage 4 NHL, Chantel’s journey symbolises unwavering determination…
Read morePublished: 13 September 2023
Updated: 14 September 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Highlights, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health, Types of cancer, Women's Health
Chantel Memziwe is a determined lady! Never letting her cancer diagnosis or treatment get the best of her, she kept pursuing her love of running and achieving the goals she had set for herself. We are so fortunate that she is one of our CANSA Active Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Ambassadors for 2023. Chantel is also a member of our Facebook Support group for cancer patients and loved ones, Champions of Hope. Read her remarkable story of perseverance…
Read morePublished: 13 September 2023
Updated: 13 September 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Beyond Diagnosis & Treatment, CANSA Highlights, I have Cancer, Stories of Hope, Women's Health
Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) allows reflection on Madiba’s values and principles and to choose to make a positive impact on communities. CANSA invites everyone to support a CANSA Care Home to give patients an opportunity to be treated at oncology centres, who are otherwise too far away from these centres to receive treatment…
Read morePublished: 5 August 2023
Updated: 31 August 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News
Wilderness to Wellness proudly announces its partnership with CANSA through the sales of its Journal aimed at women living with cancer as part of International Cancer Survivors’ month in June.
Read morePublished: 23 June 2023
Updated: 4 August 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, I have Cancer, Media Releases & News, Women's Health
CANSA will receive 20% of the profit from the sale of Wilderness to Wellness journals for women with cancer…
Read morePublished: 22 June 2023
Updated: 23 June 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, I have Cancer, Our Cause Related Marketing Partners, 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 2023
Updated: 2 June 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA's Tough Living with Cancer (TLC) Programme, Caregiving and Cancer, Fundraising Events & Projects, I have Cancer, No Alcohol, Our Cause Related Marketing Partners, Women's Health
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, […]
Read morePublished: 3 May 2023
Updated: 15 June 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, I have Cancer, Types of cancer
Join our virtual support group – on 26 April 2023 – where guest speaker, Dr Kerry-Ann Louw discusses depression and anxiety.
Read morePublished: 21 April 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
22 March 2023 – CANSA support group member, Ben George, shares his journey with cancer.
Read morePublished: 16 March 2023
Updated: 23 March 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
22 February 2023 – Topic: Palliative Care and My Cancer Journey – the speaker is Dr Thilo Govender…
Read morePublished: 20 February 2023
Updated: 22 February 2023
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
Whytie de Witt will be sharing about his cancer journey…
Read morePublished: 2 December 2022
Updated: 9 December 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
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…
Read morePublished: 25 October 2022
Updated: 22 December 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Women's Health
Virtual CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group – 8 October 2022 with Shaheed Mahomed.
Read morePublished: 6 October 2022
Updated: 10 October 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
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”…
Read morePublished: 25 September 2022
Updated: 7 October 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Advocacy, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have 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…
Read morePublished: 20 September 2022
Updated: 17 October 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. Our speaker will be Michael Meredith (neuroendocrine lung cancer Survivor, trained counsellor and end of life doula…
Read morePublished: 25 August 2022
Updated: 29 August 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
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…
Read morePublished: 21 July 2022
Updated: 28 July 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, CANSA Webinars, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
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…
Read morePublished: 15 July 2022
Updated: 1 September 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
Join the CANSA Men Supporting Men Cancer Support group on 25 June 2022 from 9 00 to 10 00…
Read morePublished: 24 June 2022
Updated: 27 June 2022
Categories: A Loved One has Cancer, Caregiving and Cancer, I have Cancer, Men's Health
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.
Read morePublished: 1 June 2022
Updated: 1 September 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
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