I’ve been diagnosed with cancer

If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, you may be feeling frightened, worried, and uncertain. You will be – naturally – having a lot of different feelings.

What is important to know is that there is lots of help for you, at every step of your journey with cancer.

There will be medical help to find the right treatment for you, there will be emotional and mental health help available, and there is also practical help for you.

You are not alone.

Where to start
After diagnosis
Your emotions and mental health
Talking about Cancer
Practical Help
Further help after your diagnosis

Where to start

There is lots of information available about cancer but here are some good places to start:

You will be hearing lots of different and maybe new words now and The Big C – Norfolk’s cancer charity – have a great jargon buster to help you.
Macmillan Cancer has an easy read booklet called ‘Finding out you have cancer’.
If you are newly diagnosed, you can sign up to receive information from Macmillan.
You can listen to this podcast from Macmillan about cancer diagnosis.
Maggie’s Cancer Care has some advice on how to deal with a new diagnosis.
You can search the Cancer Care Map to find information on cancer services in your area.
You can find information in different languages including Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, Polish, Urdu, and Welsh.

After diagnosis

After a diagnosis, you may be asked to have some tests to find out more about your cancer – you can find out more about the tests you might have.

A team of doctors, nurses and other specialists will work together to plan your treatment. You will discuss your medical treatment with a cancer doctor (oncologist).

The treatment will depend on the type and grade of cancer that you have been diagnosed with. There is more information on treatment in the next section.

It can be a scary time with lots of worries and questions that you need answers to. Here is some information on talking about your cancer with medical staff:

Macmillan Cancer Support has advice for talking to your healthcare team, and a film with tips on talking to your doctor.
Macmillan Cancer Support also has some useful questions to ask your healthcare team.
Macmillan Cancer Support also provides help for people who do not speak English, have hearing or speech difficulties, are partially sighted, or have physical or learning disabilities.
If you find that you have questions after your appointment, the Big C ‘Ask the Nurse‘ could help with your query.

Your emotions and mental health

Being diagnosed with cancer will have an impact on your emotions and your mental health: you may struggle to cope.

It is ok to feel whatever you feel. There is lots of help out there to manage your mental health if you have recently been diagnosed:

Cancer Research UK has a guide around your mental health if you have just been diagnosed including when and how to ask for help.
Macmillan Cancer Support has a section on its website about cancer and your emotions.
Maggie’s Cancer Care also has information on managing emotions after a diagnosis.

Talking about Cancer

One of the hardest things about having cancer can be telling people of your diagnosis. Letting family and friends know, telling your children, talking to your work colleagues can be difficult

It can feel scary, and you might be worried about other people’s reactions.

But talking about cancer can also help you to feel less alone, and to get the help that you need from the people in your life.

Macmillan Cancer Support has a useful section full of tips and advice to help you have conversations about cancer.
Talking about cancer is a leaflet and an easy read booklet on talking about cancer and your feelings:
Series 3, Episode 1: Talking to children about cancer is a useful podcast by Macmillan.
Cancer Research UK has information on how to talk to children about cancer
Maggie’s Cancer Care also has some helpful guidance to help you talk to children, family, friends, and information if you do not feel like talking.

Practical Help

You are also likely to have practical worries after a cancer diagnosis – things like money and paying bills. There is information available to help you manage things in your everyday life that may worry you.

The Big C offers welfare advice, and you can speak to a welfare advisor about things such as benefits, loans, housing, employment issues, travel expenses, childcare, blue badge applications, bus passes, help with form filling and much more.
Cancer Research UK have guidance on money matters and what benefits might be available to you.
Cancer Research UK also shares information on financial planning, for example, paying the mortgage.
Macmillan Cancer Support provides information on how a cancer diagnosis might affect your work. You might be worried about work, and you can find some advice on how to manage work if you are diagnosed with cancer – including if you are self-employed.

Further help after your diagnosis

In Norfolk and Waveney, Cancer Care Navigators work alongside your cancer team to support people affected by cancer. The Cancer Care Navigators can be contacted using the following numbers:

James Paget University Hospital – 01493 452 783
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn – 01553 214792
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals – 01603 647175

In Norfolk, the Big C charity can help you if you are newly diagnosed. You can visit their website or call their support team: 0800 092 7640 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)
Macmillan Cancer Support has ways of getting touch and you can call the Macmillan Support Line for free on 0808 239 1557, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.
Cancer Research UK also has ways of getting in touch. You can contact someone on online if you or someone close to you has been affected by cancer and you have questions. It is also easy to call Cancer Research UK nurses on freephone 0808 800 4040 Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm. They cannot diagnose you or give a medical opinion.