Here for you…
Living with cancer: loneliness & isolation
Having cancer as a teenager or young person can feel hard.
Your whole life has been turned upside down, and you will experience many emotions as you navigate your way through your treatment journey. Some days you might feel like you’re coping OK, but other days you feel scared, lonely, or overwhelmed. You may feel angry that this is happening to you. These feelings are completely normal, and they are OK to have.
You may miss out on things your friends are doing, like school, parties or just hanging out. This can feel unfair and upsetting. It’s easy to feel like you’re not part of things anymore, but you’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
In this guide, you’ll find tips and ideas that can help you feel more connected to the people around you. There’s also advice on how to talk to your friends, family, or teachers if you’re finding things difficult. If you have questions, we’ll try to answer them. If you can’t find what you need, we’ll signpost you to someone who can.
Most importantly, please don’t keep tough feelings to yourself. Talk to someone you trust. This could be a parent, a family member, a teacher, your Grace Kelly Family Support Worker or someone from your medical team. Reaching out is hard, but it will help to stop these emotions from building up.
