Cancer

Access a range of services

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be a stressful time for you and those important to you. We want to let you know that there is support available for you; in person, by telephone, and online. We want you to know that there is always someone to talk to about how you’re feeling.

There are many services available to support you with this, including:

  • Support for family and friends – Caring for someone with a diagnosis can be difficult and can affect people’s own health, mental well-being, working life, and relationships, it is important to seek help and support for yourself, as a family carer”
  • Emotional support and wellbeing – Cancer changes our lives and we need to regain our confidence, manage our stress and deal with our emotional difficulties
  • Financial support – A diagnosis of has a financial impact on everyone involved. Advice available includes accessing financial benefits, applying for grants, help with prescriptions costs, help with transport to hospital and parking costs”
  • Support with dietary advice – Eating the right kinds of foods with the important nutrients the body needs before, during, and after treatment can help you feel better and stay stronger, expert dietary advice is available if required

Cancer Information Toolkit

You do not have to face cancer alone. Our Cancer Information Toolkit can help signpost you to information, help and support for every step of the cancer journey. The toolkit features useful links, key contact information and helpful resources and information so you can find the information that you need, when you need it.

Psychological and wellbeing support

There are a number of organisations in Norfolk and Waveney offering psychological and wellbeing support to people affected by cancer and their supporters.

This poster and leaflet directs people to the services available.

Local cancer support

Patient Representative User Groups

Patients, carers, and companions can help make positive changes and help improve local cancer services by giving patient’s a voice through their feedback and help the NHS improve services.

There are three cancer patient user groups within Norfolk and Waveney based at the three acute hospitals. They work in partnership alongside the clinical and non-clinical staff to improve patient experience.

If you would like help or would like to be part of one of the, please contact your area representative: advice within your area or would like to be part of one of the groups, please contact your representative in your local area as below:

West Norfolk – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn

Central Norfolk – Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals

Together Against Cancer (TAC) | 01603 647722 | Jo Richardson | joanna.richardson@nnuh.nhs.uk | Cancer Advice, Resource and Enquiries Hub (CARE)

East Norfolk and Waveney – James Paget University Hospitals

Together Against Cancer (TAC) | 01603 647722 | TAC@jpaget.nhs.uk

Other Support in Norfolk & Waveney

Big C Cancer Charity  – Information, help and support to anyone affected by cancer across Norfolk

Little Lifts – An organisation supporting women across Norfolk and Waveney who have or have had breast cancer

Norfolk and Waveney Prostate Cancer Support – Supporting patients and families through prostate cancer across Norfolk and Waveney

The Pear Tree Centre – The Pear Tree Fund – A warm and welcoming one-stop-shop which offers support and information in Halesworth

Kingsmen prostate group – A support group in King’s Lynn that supports men following a prostate cancer diagnosis

Cancer Connect (free tablet devices)

NHS Norfolk and Waveney and Norfolk Libraries and Information Service (NLIS) run an initiative to gift people affected by cancer with a tablet computer that will connect them to medical appointments, further information and support networks, as well as enabling them to keep in touch with friends and family in this difficult and isolating time.

To qualify for the scheme individuals need to have had:

  • Have a diagnosis of cancer
  • Be over 18
  • Live in Norfolk and Waveney
  • Having no/limited access to the internet
  • Have no suitable device

If you think you qualify for this scheme, please call the library on 01603 774777.  If you have an email account you can also information: libraries.iconnect@norfolk.gov.uk.

Macmillan Cancer Care Navigators across Norfolk and Waveney

Macmillan Cancer Care Navigators work alongside Clinical Nurse Specialists to help and support people affected by cancer with their non-clinical needs. These teams are funded jointly by Macmillan Cancer Support and NHS Norfolk and Waveney.

Find out more about this service or ask your Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Signs and symptoms of cancer

Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. Once these areas get bigger, depending upon where they are, they might be felt as a lump or cause other symptoms such as a cough. If not caught early, the cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs. It sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other areas. This process is known as metastasis. 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. In the UK, the 4 most common types are:

There are more than 200 different types, and each is diagnosed and treated in a particular way. You can find links on this page to information about other types of cancer.

Earlier diagnosis means it is more likely that patients will receive curable treatments.

At the moment only around 1 in 2 people in the UK are diagnosed at an early stage. Earlier and faster diagnosis is dependent on people understanding and being aware of the early signs and symptoms, by taking up screening programmes or visiting a healthcare professional.

One of the ways we can achieve this will be to help the public understand some of the signs and symptoms of possible cancer and helping GPs to refer patients for diagnostic tests.

Around four in ten cancers could be prevented largely through lifestyle changes. For ideas on how to get more active, visit Active NorfolkFeel Good Suffolk, and Moving Medicine. Smoking accounts for one in four UK cancer deaths and can cause at least 15 types of cancer. If you would like help to quit smoking see the links below:

Useful videos

You can find a series of videos to help you find reliable health and wellbeing information online. Topics include finding mental health resources on websites such as the NHS and MIND, reliable information online about physical activity and adult and children’s sleep. View the videos on YouTube. or check out Norfolk Libraries Health and Wellbeing online resources.

A selection of screening videos from West Yorkshire and Harrogate, Health and Care Partnership can be found below. These are applicable for screening in Norfolk and Waveney:

National support

Further information

Click on a box below to reveal further information.

Contact us

If you need more information, please email the Cancer Transformation Team: nwicb.cancerprogramme@nhs.net