A diagnosis of lung cancer can be devastating to you and your family. You don't need to cope with this on your own.
Your local lung cancer information and support group provides an opportunity for people affected by lung cancer to come along and chat with people in a similar situation.
Use this link to search for details of your local lung cancer support group.
You can also learn more about a wide variety of lung cancer issues and meet with your local lung cancer nurse, in an informal and friendly setting. You can find out about many aspects of living with lung cancer, such as diet, treatment information, complementary therapies and coping with breathlessness.
Robert Lowe from Glasgow in Scotland gives us his view on Lung Cancer Support Groups:
Every day there are new people being diagnosed with lung cancer and I personally have survived a diagnosis of terminal (2 to 3 months) small cell lung cancer in 1993 for which I underwent chemo and radiotherapy. Then in 2007 I was again diagnosed this time with non small cell lung cancer for which I received surgery. I was officially the 8th longest survivor of SCLC in the UK 2007 and could now possibly be the longest survivor of SCLC and NSCLC. I am also a patient’s advocate with The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and a founder member of our local hospital's Lung Cancer Support Group
As an exceptionally lucky long term double whammy survivor I would like to pass on the benefit of my experience and thoroughly recommend that survivors, newly diagnosed patients, and their carers all make an effort to attend their nearest lung cancer support group. On diagnosis your life seems to lose all direction and support groups are wonderful ways to access all the help and advice available in a friendly, surprisingly humorous and relaxed atmosphere. These groups are all expertly supervised by a widely experienced Clinical Nurse Specialist.
You would think cancer groups would be depressing but I have found that they are in fact the exact opposite and are an extremely positive way to seek reassurance, ease stress and obtain information, whilst providing a pleasant interactive way of spending a very rewarding few hours a month in the company of people similarly affected. I have from first hand experience learned that it is true that a problem shared can on very many occasions be a problem halved or solved.
All lung cancer carers and patients are made welcome, the more members the broader the experiences and the more beneficial it is to all, so please join us and help each other share the load.