When you're caring for someone with cancer

More people are living with cancer longer, due to earlier diagnoses and better treatments. This has resulted in a growing number of people who care for someone with cancer.
 
Some carers may be looking after someone who requires a great deal of care. Others may find they mainly need to give assistance with personal care tasks, such as help with dressing and providing meals.
 
Increasing care may be needed if the person with cancer becomes less able to cope unaided with daily tasks. The carer, however, can become a forgotten figure who doesn't get the help and support they need.

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Carers Leads in Primary Care Trusts 

If you live in England take part in this key health campaign.

This year's Carers Week theme is Carers can't afford to be ill, and includes the launch of a campaign to ensure every Primary Care Trust (PCT) in England has a carers lead/champion.

Carers leads have an important role to play in improving healthcare services for carers.  Carers Week has contacted every PCT, and is asking carers and carers organisations to do the same, to ensure that carers' needs are promoted through an appointed carers lead.

Find out more and send our campaign letter to your local PCT.

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We provide a handbook that carers may find useful called 'Hello, and how are you?.' Updated in 2007, it is written by carers for carers and contains handy practical tips for caring for someone with cancer, whatever stage their cancer is at.

Topics covered in 'Hello and how are you?':

• information and support
• working with professionals
• relationships
• moods and emotions
• practicalities
• employment and work issues
• death, dying and bereavement
• life after caring
• list of helpful organisations and other sources of support.

Download 'Hello, and how are you?' [PDF, 1.3 MG]

To order a hardback copy please go to Macmillan publications.