A NEW telephone support service has been launched for people who’ve finished cancer treatment.

Cancer Support UK is inviting people in Cornwall  to sign up to its new ’Cancer Coach’ service. Cancer Coach is a telephone support group that runs weekly for six weeks. The service is free of charge and delivered by telephone, allowing participants to take part in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

Developed by a range of experts, Cancer Coach telephone groups offer much needed encouragement and emotional support, which is fundamental to recovery. Groups are run by trained facilitators who all have experience of coaching, facilitating or counselling and many of our facilitators have also experienced cancer themselves.

Helen, 53, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March 2019. After six rounds of chemotherapy, she was given the all-clear and told that she’d entered remission. After her treatment, Helen took part in a Cancer Coach telephone group, which significantly improved her emotional outlook.

She said that its just when treatment has finished, and family and friends expect you to feel ‘back to normal’, when you can feel worst of all. Describing her experience Helen said, “I did try to make out that everything was fine, but really it wasn’t. I was so anxious.”

Helen’s experience is not uncommon. For many people who’ve gone through cancer treatment, anxiousness and loneliness can be tough emotions to face. We hear daily that the coronavirus pandemic is having a profound impact on the mental health of people who’ve recently finished treatment, too. Describing this aspect of her own post-treatment journey, Helen added, “I couldn’t sleep. I felt like I was waiting for the cancer to come back every day. I felt lonely, because people didn’t understand.”

Reflecting on finding out about the Cancer Coach service, Helen said that “at first I was a bit apprehensive, but I decided to go for it. There were six other people in the group, from all over the country. We’d all had different cancers. It was easy. It really helped me, and I really hope it’ll help others too.”

Cancer Support UK’s Cancer Coach service is confidential, and the calls take you through strategies that aim to give you the tools, support and coping mechanisms that can help with your recovery.

Anna James, who manages the service and who brings experience of being a cancer patient herself, says “throughout the group, participants talk to others who know what they’re going through. It’s these connections - with other people who can relate - that are vital and can even turn into long-lasting friendships. Helen and many others report that taking part in Cancer Coach helped them navigate their post-treatment life more effectively, with less anxiety.”

Gemma Holding, chief executive of Cancer Support UK said: “People who finish cancer treatment face a ‘new normal’ which can be scary and filled with tough emotions. Emotional support is vital. Talking to other people who can empathise, who have faced similar challenges, can make all the difference.”

Gemma added: “We give huge thanks to Helen for telling her story and helping us reach more people with our Cancer Coach programme. If you’re struggling with life after cancer treatment, know that we’re here for you, now and into the future. If you’re in Cornwall and you need support adjusting to your new normal, consider participating in Cancer Coach.”

Cancer Coach is for anyone over the age of 18 who has completed treatment for cancer, regardless of whether they finished treatment a few months ago or a few years ago. Participants can be based anywhere in the UK. To participate in a Cancer Coach telephone group, visit cancersupportuk.org/telephone-groups.