Caring for someone with cancer

A carer is someone who helps a person with cancer. This may
include:

• Helping with medical care. For example, helping to manage medications, keeping track of hospital appointments and providing nursing (personal) care, such as helping the person to wash or dress.
• Helping with activities of daily living, such as cooking, shopping and housework.
• Supporting them emotionally.
• Dealing with practical matters, such as managing money or even talking to other people on their behalf.

A carer could be a family member, partner, friend or neighbour. They often know the most about the person with cancer and care very deeply about them. A carer is also often the link between the person with cancer and other people caring for them, such as their medical team.

Carers often give both medical and practical care to patients. 

A carer is an important part of a person's healthcare team. They may have to: 

• Keep track of tests, treatments and appointments
• Make sure their loved one attends appointments
• Communicate with different healthcare professionals about their loved one

There can also be a lot of practical work involved in caring. This may include:

• Household chores like cleaning, laundry, shopping and preparing meals
• Providing transport – day-to-day transport and travelling to the GP and to hospital appointments
• Dealing with money matters

Visit Giving practical and medical care for more information.

Knowing how your loved one is feeling and what you can say or do to help is often difficult. You know your loved one best so don't be afraid to talk to them. Sharing your feelings can bring you both a lot of comfort.

It is normal for your loved one to have different feelings at different times. Certain times may be particularly challenging, such as after their diagnosis, when they are waiting for test results or when they have a follow-up appointment due. Your main role is to support your loved one, not to change how they feel.

Visit How to talk to someone with cancer for more information.

We have more information on your right to take time off work to care, as well as financial supports you may be entitled to. These include Carer's Benefit and Carer's Allowance.

Visit our Carers' entitlements page for more information.

If your loved one is diagnosed with advanced (metastatic) cancer, it means that a cure is no longer possible. Instead treatment aims to keep the cancer under control and relieve any symptoms. 

Some advanced cancers can be kept under control for many years.

Your loved one may need a lot of care or very little, depending on how their cancer is affecting them. 

See Caring for someone with advanced cancer for more information.

Young carers are children, teens and young adults aged under 25 who help to support a family member or friend with cancer.

Life can be very different if a parent or other significant person in your life has been diagnosed with cancer. You may feel overwhelmed and that you have less in common with your friends. As a result, you may feel isolated, frustrated and angry. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone. There are supports available.

See Young carers for more information.