The Covid-19 crisis has added a whole new level of anxiety and worry to all our lives – especially for people trying to adapt back into life after cancer treatment. Our recent survey gained the views of more than 1,500 people – helping us to learn more about how the crisis is affecting people, and to help our Cancer Coaches find new ways to deliver support. 

We learned that almost half of all respondents found their emotional wellbeing was worse after finishing their cancer treatment than during it.

When we dug a little deeper into what our respondents faced in the way of challenges, most (76%) reported anxiety as the biggest problem. Others reported feelings of depression (46%) and mood swings (45%), as well as insomnia (56%). 

Lockdown and the pandemic have inevitably exacerbated problems for some, with 42% of respondents saying their relationships with friends and family were more challenging during lockdown.

These survey findings will help us to improve our cancer support services – including our Cancer Coach telephone support groups. These are available to anyone who has completed their cancer treatment and is struggling with worries, anxiety or depression, or how to move forward in their recovery. The course takes participants through a series of weekly group phone calls, run over a six-week period. The calls provide tips and exercises that aim to deliver the tools, support and coping strategies that can help with recovery.

If you’d like to join one of our free Cancer Coach groups, please click here.