Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in the UK and is accountable for 15% of all new cancer diagnoses.
As more than 1 in 10 women receive a late diagnosis, it is always recommended you perform regular self-checks and if you suspect anything unusual, do consult with your GP as soon as possible.
For those living with breast cancer, help is at hand both locally and nationally across the UK. We’ve looked at some of the support organisations available across the UK and broken them down into both national and regional services to help you find the breast cancer services available to you.
National
Charity providing care, information, and support to people living with breast cancer. It offers online support, courses and a helpline ran by specialist nurses. The charity also funds an exception breast cancer research team.
A specialist retailer supplying mastectomy and post-surgery fashion, including a wide selection of pocketed bras, pocketed swimwear, clothes, and prostheses, suitable for all types of breast surgery. The customer service team can be contacted for expert product and virtual fitting advice as well as nationwide fitting clinics.
North West
The Marina Dalglish Appeal
Charity organisation centre for women living with breast cancer. Services include reiki, reflexology and treatments that are used to help and ease the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Additionally, hair and nail treatments are offered, along with an opportunity to share experiences with women in similar situations.
Support group for women living with or beyond breast cancer. It offers an opportunity to talk to others in a similar situation, and provides information on all aspects of dealing with breast cancer. Services also include art therapy sessions, complementary therapies, and psychotherapy.
North East
Charity offering a range of complementary therapies, coaching, counselling and acupuncture for anyone affected by cancer. It has a team of staff, all professionally accredited and trained to offer emotional, mental, and physical health support.
Free transport service that assists people to and from the hospital for cancer outpatient appointments. If required, a member of the Daft as a Brush team can also stay with the patient whilst they have their treatment and then bring them back home.
Yorkshire
Cavendish Cancer Care
Charity working alongside the NHS, offering support services for people living with cancer. It offers a peer-to-peer telephone support services, professional counselling and therapy that complements and supports medical treatment.
Rotherham Cancer Care Centre
Rotherham Cancer Care Centre supports those have cancer or have been affected by cancer. Through one to one assessment they give people time to talk about their fears and concerns and provide complementary therapies and/or counselling to improve quality of life.
West Midlands
Breast Friends Sutton Coldfield
Breast cancer support group based at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, run by volunteers who all have experience with breast cancer. They help women living with breast cancer through a difficult time by offering friendship, support, emotional and practical help.
Support centre offering a ‘home from home’ environment, social activities and workshops, advice on housing, finances and benefits as well as emotional support and counselling as well as complementary therapies.
East Midlands
Support centre providing information, activities and a space to meet and share experiences with others. Services include support groups, welfare and benefits advice, wellbeing workshops and complementary therapies.
Charity that provides support to people living with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses. It supports people through education, complementary therapies, public awareness and offers nutritional guidance, practical workshops and one-to-one therapies.
East of England
Big C – Norfolk’s Cancer Charity
The centre offers a variety of cancer-related information and services such as scarf tying, complementary therapies, counselling, family support, relaxation group, nutrition group and men’s cancer group.
Cancer help centre that offers emotional, practical and social support to anyone affected by cancer. Its services include bereavement support, carer support, courses for managing stress, gardening groups and fitness classes
South West
Support group for people living with breast cancer. It offers social meetups for mutual support, informal chat and a cup of tea, meetings with speakers and occasional social outings.
Breast cancer charity offering relaxation sessions, massage, wig fitting and post-surgery bra services for people living with breast cancer at its centre in Wimborne Minster. It raises funds through its charity shops located across the East Dorset and West Hampshire areas to support local hospitals and support groups
South East
Support group offering practical help, advice and emotional support to people living with breast cancer. The group provides an opportunity to share experiences at monthly meetings in volunteers’ homes.
Charity that supports young women living with cancer. Its services include oncology massage therapies, beauty and skincare guidance and advice, counselling, and coaching, loved one’s support, oncology yoga and oncology physical training sessions.
London
Free course for women who have completed treatment for primary breast cancer. It runs in person over 8 weeks including topics such as managing anxiety and stress, fear of recurrence, keeping active, eating healthily, hormones, fatigue and more. It is led by a clinical psychologist and cancer support specialist.
This charity are the first breast cancer charity in the UK to solely create awareness amongst young people, with the aim of instilling the knowledge and tools they need to get to know their bodies.
Northern Ireland
Support centre providing information and advice to people living with breast cancer. It offers counselling, emotional support and provides complementary therapies such as reiki, Indian head massage, therapeutic touch and reflexology.
Charity that provides support services to those who are living with and affected by cancer. The centre is open Monday to Friday to give information and to signpost to other services available in the area. Services include complimentary therapy, bra and swimwear fittings, counselling, horticultural therapy, support groups and a transport service.
Scotland
Something Pretty
Mastectomy bra and breast form specialist shop selling a range of breast forms, undergarments and swimwear all designed specifically for women who have had breast surgery. A breast form is an artificial breast made of silicone or foam that replaces the missing breast after breast surgery, they are worn by inserting them into a pocketed bra or swimsuit or can be attached directly to the body.
Across Scotland, Clan Cancer is a support service offering emotional and social support to anyone affected by cancer. The service offers complementary and relaxation therapies at various centres as well as virtually for the people of Scotland.
Wales
Breast cancer group that provides support for people living with breast cancer. The group aims to emotionally support members and to provide beneficial information as well as share experiences with others in the similar situations.
Support group for both men and women who have or have had breast cancer. They hold meetings in both Cardiff and Barry once a month and also organise walks to meet with other people living with breast cancer.
With research showing that more than 90% of people living with illness want to be connected with like-minded patients, the team at Yara are building an innovative mobile app where like-minded patients can come together in to exchange knowledge and share experiences. Here the team behind it, tell us more.
Bowel cancer (sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer) is the 4th most common cancer in the UK with over 40,000 people diagnosed each year. Almost 9 in 10 people that receive a bowel cancer diagnosis are over 60 but survival rates are significantly higher if diagnosis is found in the early stages. April sees us recognise Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, so we've taken a look at some of the great support services available in the UK.
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