Cancer Council NSW understands a cancer diagnosis has a far-reaching impact, affecting not only the person with cancer, but also their family and friends.
If you have a patient who is a carer or family member of someone dealing with a cancer diagnosis, we offer a range of resources and support for carers and families.
The 13 11 20 Information and Support Service is a confidential, free telephone service staffed by experienced cancer health professionals.
The service is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm excluding public holidays.
Our 13 11 20 staff can provide:
- short-term emotional support for carers, families and friends
- handy tips for supporting someone with cancer
- information and tips about talking to children and adolescents about cancer
- answers to general questions about cancer and about any stage of cancer
- help to navigate carers to support services and support groups.
- Yes. Health professionals can refer carers and family members to 13 11 20 using the online referral form.
- When you refer a carer or family member to 13 11 20, one of our experienced cancer health professionals will contact them.
- Please let them know a 13 11 20 health professional will contact them within 24 hours of receipt of referral or next business day unless otherwise specified on the referral notes.
- After we contact your patient, we will email you with an update on the outcome.
- If we are unable to reach your patient after 3 attempts, you will receive a notification by email.
- Yes. Carers and family members can call 13 11 20 directly. They can also email the service or request a call by completing an online form.
- Cancer Council 13 11 20 is a national cancer information and support service available to anyone with a question about cancer including patients, carers, family members and health professionals.
Yes. If your patient is the carer or partner of a cancer patient, we can support them to manage financial issues arising from a cancer diagnosis.
Our trained financial navigators can help with financial advice and resources. They can assist in understanding financial rights, managing money problems and making informed decisions.
Learn more at financial assistance service and Cancer and your finances.
- Health professionals can refer carers using our online form. Please inform your patient one of our team will contact them.
- Carers can call 13 11 20 directly, email them, or request a call by filling out this form.
Yes, Cancer Council NSW can support carers experiencing financial hardship to access:
- advice regarding legal issues related to a cancer diagnosis
- support with insurance or employment disputes
- guidance and support for workplace issues that come up because of a cancer diagnosis.
Learn more at Cancer, work and you.
Peer Support offers emotional and practical support for those impacted by cancer. It allows people to connect with others who have gone through similar experiences with cancer.
Peer support can:
- support people to navigate their cancer experience
- reduce levels of distress
- increase their coping strategies
- reduce feelings of isolation.
The carer’s group is a monthly telephone support group for people caring for someone with advanced cancer.
The Carers’ Telephone Support Group:
- is a unique opportunity to connect with others facing similar challenges as a carer
- is led by qualified health care professionals
- meets regularly and is open, meaning there is no ongoing commitment to attend every meeting
- is respectful and confidential
- meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.
To join the group, participants must:
- have access to a landline or mobile phone and a quiet, confidential space
- be caring for someone with advanced cancer
- be over 18
- speak and understand English
- live in Australia.
The Life after Loss group is for carers and partners who have experienced a cancer-related bereavement.
The Life after Loss Telephone Support Group is:
- a 6-week closed group (no new attendees can join during this period)
- led by qualified health care professionals
- offered at regular intervals throughout the year.
To join the group, participants must:
- have access to a landline or mobile phone and a quiet, confidential space
- have suffered from a cancer-related bereavement in the last 24 months
- be over 18
- speak and understand English
- live in Australia.
- Health professionals can refer carers of advanced cancer patients using our online referral form.
- Please let your patient know one of our health professionals will call them.
- Carers can call 13 11 20 directly, email them, or request a call by filling in this form.
The Cancer Council Online Community is available to anyone affected by cancer.
It is:
- a safe place to share experiences and stories with others in similar situations
- aims to reduce isolation
- regularly moderated by a member of our health professional team.
We provide a range of easy to understand, evidence-based resources about all aspects of cancer for carers and family members. These resources are available to order or download for free.
Find out more at our Resource hub.