It is understandable that you may experience difficult thoughts and emotions when supporting someone you love with cancer. People find different ways of coping with the effects of cancer. Some people find it helpful to talk, while others find it more helpful to spend time doing something they enjoy, such as being in nature. As someone who supports a loved one with cancer, you may feel sad, frightened, worried, frustrated, angry or overwhelmed. All of these feelings are very natural.
It is important at this time to remember to also take care of your own needs and engage in activities that are helpful for managing your emotional and physical wellbeing. Taking care of yourself will help you support your loved one.
You may feel it would be helpful to reach out for additional support from a local support group or one-to-one counselling with a professional.
The information below can help you identify the services which best meet your needs and provide guidance on how to seek further support. These services can help with a range of different needs i.e. emotional, social, practical advice, financial advice, and more.
Available support varies based on your locality and the cancer type of the person you support.
Please visit individual websites for further details.
If you feel yourself or a loved one may be at risk, please contact your out of hours GP, emergency services via 111 or 999, Samaritans on 116 123 or Crisis Line via 111.
Liverpool Sunflowers
Sunflowers offer support for carers and close family of people with cancer and other life-changing illness.
Services include peer support groups, alternative therapies and individual counselling which are designed to help support physical and mental wellbeing. Services are for registered clients and are open to people from across Merseyside and beyond.
Maggie’s, Wirral
Maggie’s support anyone affected by cancer, including family and friends, and their centre offers a drop in system for people seeking advice and information. Alternatively, you can arrange a call to talk to one of their specialist advisors. The centre offers a space to meet others going through a similar experience and a range of support groups and workshops to meet your needs.
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan hubs offer a drop-in service for anyone who has any questions or requires support for cancer and are available onsite at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Broadgreen Hospital. Offering information and support in a quiet and confidential area. You can call in to see the team or speak over the phone or by email.
Swan Centre, Liverpool
The Swan Centre offers a range of mental health and wellbeing services for women who live in Sefton (Sefton residents). Services include counselling for young adults and adults (over 18). They also offer befriending services and activities/group classes designed to help develop new skills, promote wellbeing and reduce loneliness. This service is not cancer specific.
Carers Trust
The Liverpool Carers Centre offer support and information for unpaid carers across Liverpool. This service helps people who have caring responsibilities and who would like further support or practical advice and information. They offer a range of workshops and activities to promote health and wellbeing and a chance to meet with carers in the community. This service is not cancer specific.
If you have any urgent mental health concerns about a child (under 18) in Liverpool or Sefton please contact the CAMHS crisis team 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0151 293 3577 or freephone 0808 196 3550.
Or call NHS 111 ‘select mental health option’ to crisis support, advice and triage open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Star Centre - Children and Young People Therapeutic Support
The Star Centre Liverpool is a mental health and wellbeing service for children and young people living in Sefton (Sefton residents, based on home address).
This service offers group and 1:1 therapy to help support young people experiencing mental health concerns such as low mood or worry/anxiety. They also offer drop-in sessions to provide the space to talk through struggles and access advice and information. This service is not cancer specific.
YPAS: Young Person’s Advisory Service
Wellbeing practitioners at the YPAS Central Hub Liverpool, can offer support for young people and families with emotional wellbeing needs and offer information/advice, and in some cases low level CBT based models of support. The wellbeing hub supports young people, parents and carers.
For mental health or wellbeing support you can make a referral if you are a resident with a Liverpool home postcode or a Liverpool GP. This service is not cancer specific.
Barnardo’s Action with Young Carers
Barnardo’s Liverpool, support children and young adults who care for and provide support for a family member who has a physical/mental illness or disability. Young carers often do not realise that they are a carer. Some of the things a young carer may do can include helping with medication, helping someone get out of bed or with housework. This responsibility can feel lonely and stressful, but support is available. Barnardo’s can offer a young carer’s needs assessment, support plans, emotional and practical support. This service is not cancer specific.
Grief is a normal response following the loss of a loved one and can be experienced in many ways. Some people find it helpful to talk to someone outside of their family circle about how they are feeling. Others find understanding more about grief can help them to cope. Please see for information about available support for when a loved one receives a palliative diagnosis or for coping with loss.
Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool
Marie Curie Northwest (NW) provide services for anyone in the NW who would like support after a person they love receives a palliative diagnosis. This service is for patients or family members (including loved ones/important people) before or after the person has died.
Services include person-centred counselling, or access to clinical psychology in complex cases. This service is not cancer specific.
Woodlands Hospice Liverpool
Woodlands Hospice Charitable Trust offers a family support service to help anyone who is connected to the patient within the Woodlands service to support with a range of emotional and practical issues (e.g. stress, grief and family matters).
Person-centred support is available on an individual basis, with your family or within a support group. For children to access this service, the parent/patient must be under the Woodlands hospice (onsite at Aintree). This service is not cancer specific.
Liverpool Bereavement Service
The Liverpool Bereavement Service offers one-to-one counselling for adults (Liverpool residents) who are struggling with loss. This service offers remote sessions via phone or videocall. This service is not cancer specific.
Oakleaf Children's and Young Person's Service
Children and young people can access Oakleaf (Liverpool residents) for counselling to help support with grief and loss. These sessions can be 1:1 or as a family. This service is not cancer specific.
NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group Bereavement Services
Bereavement support is available across hospital sites within the NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group. This service offers practical information and advice for families and loved ones following the death of a patient. Please visit the site for details on services at the Royal, Aintree and Broadgreen. This service is not cancer specific.
Some cancer specific charities provide support groups for carers and families. Peer-to-peer support groups create the space to share information and connect with others going through a similar experience, which some people find comforting.
Macmillan can signpost to local cancer support groups based on where you live and your preference for how you wish to access the group.
Below are some examples of cancer specific support groups for carers and families:
- Ocular Melanoma UK - Offer virtual carer support groups for families and of people with ocular melanoma friends
- British Liver Trust - Offer virtual carer support groups for families and friends of people with liver cancer
- Breast Cancer Now - Offer online groups, online live speaker sessions and forums for anyone seeking support or information related to a person’s breast cancer diagnosis
Some people may find it helpful to seek support for non-medical issues which may impact their health and wellbeing, such as financial or housing concerns. Social prescribing services aim to help individuals whose circumstances may make them vulnerable to mental distress.
Citizens Advice is a social prescribing service available to people with a Liverpool GP. This includes helping people living with long-term health problems or disabilities, a diagnosis of cancer and people who care for others. Services include citizens advice and a wellbeing link worker to provide practical support on matters such as welfare benefits, housing and promote wellbeing through accessing activities in the community. This service is not cancer specific.
Speak to your GP or your healthcare team to request a referral to the service.
- MacMillan provide a range of information to support carers and family affected by cancer i.e. practical support, financial support, returning to work, emotional support, loss and bereavement and more.
- Marie Curie is a national service to support any adult (over 18) grieving the loss of a loved one who has died. Offering a telephone bereavement support service – you can access up to 6 free sessions. This service is not cancer specific.
- Winston’s Wish is a national service available fully remote across the UK to support young people (up to age 25) to cope with grief. This service offers information and bereavement counselling. People can also get instant access to expert bereavement support via phone, live chat, email or text. This service is not cancer specific.
- Carers UK offer support and advice to help with the challenges of caring for someone close to you. Local carers' organisations have information on available support, such as local respite care and carer groups. This service is not cancer specific.
Fruitfly
Fruitfly offer free online parent peer support groups for parents with cancer. It also has a range of information sheets and guidance on how to talk to children of different ages.
Hope Support Services
Hope Support Services offer online support to young people (aged 5-25 years old) affected by a loved one’s serious illness or cancer diagnosis. Information on how to communicate to a young person about a cancer diagnosis.
The Osborne Trust
The Osborne Trust provide information and free support packs for children of all age ranges to help cope with a loved one’s diagnosis.
Mummy’s Star
Mummy's Star provide information, leaflets and a library of patient stories supporting people diagnosed with cancer in or around pregnancy. They also can accept referrals for 1:1 support.
Talking Therapies
Talking Therapies is for adults aged 16 and over registered with a Liverpool GP to support with common mental health problems such as low mood, anxiety and stress.
Offering either a six-week programme (computerised CBT) or a six-week ‘skills for wellbeing’ course which provides psychoeducation on triggers, vicious cycles and coping strategies for low mood/anxiety. Upon completion of either course, if you require additional support, they can discuss further therapy which may be available to you. This service is not cancer specific.
Step Forward Psychological Intervention Service
Step Forward Psychological Intervention Service (Liverpool) is a psychological intervention service who also offer advice and information for carers and friends/family of the people they support. This service can offer signposting to local services and information to support carers. This service is not cancer specific.
