If you've just been diagnosed with cancer, you may be feeling overwhelmed with all the information and treatment options.
Cancer Council has trained volunteers who can listen with unique understanding and share their experience to provide practical information and emotional support. For someone with cancer, talking to someone else who has been through a similar experience to your own, can be helpful and reassuring.
What is Cancer Connect?
Cancer Connect is one-to-one telephone support with a trained volunteer, for people experiencing a newly diagnosed cancer, those undertaking treatment and those who have been encountering issues with survivorship.
Who are the volunteers?
The people who volunteer with the the Cancer Connect program, are people just like you. They have survived their cancer experience and are in the unique position of being able to understand what you're going through and draw on their own experiences to provide practical information and emotional support to meet your individual needs.
All our Cancer Connect volunteers have undertaken extensive training with Cancer Council NSW health professionals.
“I didn’t know anyone who had been through a similar experience of radiotherapy, day 8 I didn’t think it was ever going to end. My volunteer reassured me that I would get to the end of treatment, she was right and she was an inspiration. She got it . . . and knew what I was going through.”
What can we talk about?
Some of the things you may like to chat with our trained volunteers about may be:
- Coping with diagnosis
- Types of surgery
- Treatment and side effects
- Feelings and fear of recurrence
- Relationships and lifestyle changes
- And much more...
To find out more about Cancer Connect, please contact Cancer Council on 13 11 20.
