Cancer Before the Cure — What Support is Available

In 2007, 7.6 million people died from cancer worldwide. In 2008, there is no sign of this number dropping. Currently, cancer is the cause of about 13% of all deaths, and it is unlikely that many people don’t know at least one person that has been affected by cancer in some way.

While cancer is something that we don’t want to live with, we must. Though cancer research continues to travel in leaps and bounds towards new treatments and a cure of some sort, it would be naive to believe that this discovery will be made any time soon. That moment, when it comes, will be an incredible moment in human history that will change the lives of billions. However until that moment comes, cancer is something that must be dealt with in other ways.

Support for those who are living with cancer is widely available, but perhaps not widely known about. The shock of a diagnosis can leave people feeling lost, and it often does not even occur to them that there is a wealth of support facilities to help both sufferers of cancer and their families and friends cope with the disease.

The first port of call is often the internet. These days, with high-speed connections and widespread access to the net, millions of people are contributing valuable information to the web every day. Informative websites are abundant, as are support forums, email lists and chat rooms. The internet can also point users in the direction of how to gain financial help, what publications to read and how to get in touch with local support groups.

Support groups can be invaluable, though the majority of those living with cancer do not frequent them. They are frequently organised by hospitals or cancer support charities and can provide a strong network of help for those who need it. Whether members of the support groups are suffering themselves, know somebody that is, are cancer survivors or just concerned community members, the system of cancer support offered is precious. Sometimes it’s best to talk to people going through the same thing who will understand what you’re going through and learn how they learned to cope. This social interaction is an oft-neglected form of cancer support, despite its benefits.

There are also courses that people affected by cancer can attend in order to learn how to cope with the disease being a part of their life. These free courses offer cancer support, often by cancer survivors, and help people come to terms with the shock and the physical and psychological effects cancer can have.

Naturally we hope for a cure sometime in the near future, but until then it is important to know that support is close by for those that need it.

Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.