Dying with cancer
There are many organisations and support groups that can help you cope when you are dying with cancer. They can also help the people close to you.
Cancer Research UK is the largest cancer research organisation in the world outside the USA. We fund research on all aspects of cancer from its causes to prevention and treatment.
We are committed to producing high quality information for people affected by cancer. As well as looking at the information on this website you can call our nurse freephone helpline on 0808 800 4040. They are available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or you can send them a question online.
Contact our cancer information nurses
Cancer Chat is our online forum where you can share experiences.
Cruse provides bereavement counselling. It offers help, support and information to anyone facing bereavement or who has been bereaved. It has a network of local branches throughout the UK.
Helpline: 0808 808 1677
Grief encounter is one of the leading providers of support services for bereaved children and their families throughout the UK. Their website has resources and information for bereaved children and teenagers.
Helpline: 0808 802 0111 (Weekdays 9.30am to 3pm) Email: bereavementsupport@griefencounter.org.uk
This organisation aims to support you through a bereavement, connect you with others who have experienced something similar and help you get the information and assistance you need.
Phone: 0300 200 4112 Email: hello@thelossfoundation.org
This site is designed to guide you through the practical side of bereavement. It has advice on arranging a funeral and dealing with the legal and financial issues. They offer a service to stop your loved ones unwanted mail after their death.
Telephone: 0800 0246 121 (Monday to Friday 9am - 6pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm)
Sue Ryder’s Online Bereavement Support makes it easy to connect with the right support from your computer, tablet or smartphone. They provide free one-to-one professional support, expert information and resources, and an online forum where you can talk to others in a similar situation.
This organisation has a range of resources to support bereaved families, including booklets, leaflets and books. There is a section on their website with information about dying and bereavement for young people. Their website has a forum for people to share experiences.
Helpline: 0800 02 888 40 Email: helpline@childbereavementuk.org
The Childhood Bereavement Network (CBN) is the hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK. They can help you find support in your local area.
This organisation provides resources for children who have a parent with cancer. The resources aim to help children understand about cancer and treatment. They include kits, books and other practical tools.
Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Support. It is for young people aged 12-25 years old experiencing bereavement.
It is a safe place where you can learn from other young people, how to cope with grief, and feel less alone.
Hope is a UK charity. It supports children and young people when a close family member has a serious illness, such as cancer.
Hope provides a free, safe online service for people aged 5-25. Hope Online includes a peer support community. Young people can share experiences and ways to cope.
Email: help@hopesupport.org.uk
Tel: 01989 566317
The Ruth Strauss Foundation was set up by Sir Andrew Strauss in memory of his wife, Ruth, who died in 2018 from a non-smoking related lung cancer. The charity raises awareness about the need for more research into non-smoking lung cancers. It also provides free guidance and support on how to prepare children (under the age of 25) when a parent or caregiver has an incurable cancer. The Family Support Service offers:
one to one virtual appointments with parents or caregivers to help them start open conversations with their children about their condition
emotional support, guidance and resources to use
peer support groups for teenagers, so they can meet people their own age who are also facing losing a parent or caregiver
support groups for parents or caregivers whose partner has incurable cancer
Winston’s Wish is a charity that helps children, teenagers and young adults (up to the age of 25) find their feet when their worlds are turned upside down by grief. They support children and their families after the death of someone important.
Helpline: 08088 020 021
Provides information around the rights and choices associated with having 'a good death' as well as free templates for compiling an advance decision. Also conducts research into rights and choices at end of life.
Phone: 0800 999 2434 - a specialist nurse-led team is available to help from 11am to 2pm, Monday to Thursday. Email: info@compassionindying.org.uk
The Funeral Guide website gives practical advice about what to do when someone dies. It includes information about finding a funeral director, organising a funeral, what if someone dies overseas, legal and financial issues. It has a comprehensive list of funeral directors and other organisations that can help you.
72 Paris St Exeter EX1 2JY
Email: support@funeralguide.co.uk
An online comprehensive guide to planning a funeral. It covers what to do after a death, how to organise a funeral, and how to deal with legalities and financial issues. It also lists a number of organisations to help you.
The Good Funeral Guide website is run by a not-for-profit social enterprise company. The website provides information about funerals and has a recommended list of funeral directors. The company visit funeral directors and assess their services every 3 years.
8 Savay Close Denham Green UB9 5NQ
Hospice UK answers enquiries about any aspect of hospice care. The website includes a directory of hospice services in the UK and Ireland.
Telephone: 0207 520 8200
Maggie’s is a national charity with centres across the UK. They offer care and support to people affected by cancer. Each centre is beside an NHS cancer hospital and is run by specialist staff.
You can join a support group, take part in weekly sessions like relaxation and stress management, or learn about nutrition and health. You can also visit just to have a cup of tea and a friendly chat.
Phone: 0300 123 1801 Email: enquiries@maggies.org
This section of the NHS website contains information about what you can expect during end of life care and the things you may want to think about. These include how and where you want to be cared for and financial issues.
The Resuscitation Council (UK) website has detailed information on decisions about resuscitation and your rights.
Address: Resuscitation Council UK First Floor 60-62 Margaret Street London W1W 8TF
Phone: 020 7388 4678 (10 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday)
Gives support and information to help people die naturally at home. Advises on arranging inexpensive and environmentally friendly funerals.
Phone: 01962 712 690 Email: contact@naturaldeath.org.uk
A charity that is being run entirely by volunteers. They provide support, advice, and help to people affected by chronic pain and those close to them.
Telephone Pain line: 0345 603 1593 (Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm) Email: aopisat@btinternet.com
Write to: Action on Pain, 2 Mill Close, Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, PE34 4JG
Breast Cancer Now is a charity dedicated to funding breast cancer research. They also provide breast cancer information and support across the UK. Services are free and include a helpline, website, publications, and practical and emotional support. It was formed by the merger of The Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer in 2015.
6th Floor The White Chapel Building 10 Whitechapel High Street London E1 8QS
Tel: 0333 20 70 300 E-mail: hello@breastcancernow.org Ask a nurse: Contact form
A national charity offering information and support to anyone affected by lymphoedema. It has local support groups, a helpline and a website. It also produces a range of information including factsheets about lymphoedema and its treatment, videos about self management techniques for lymphoedema, and a newsletter.
Telephone: 020 7351 4480 Email: admin@lsn.org.uk
MLD UK promotes public awareness of Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD). They publish a register of practitioners of MLD.
Telephone: 0844 800 1988 Email: admin@mlduk.org.uk
A support group for anyone who suffers from chronic pain. They deliver self management training to help those with chronic pain.
Freephone: 0800 783 6059 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm) Email: info@painassociation.com
Pain Concern offers information and support to people with pain and those who care for them. They run a helpline staffed by volunteers and have an online forum called HealthUnlocked for members to share experiences. You can listen to podcasts that feature interviews with experts and people managing their pain. You can also subscribe to their newsletter, Pain Matters.
Helpline: 0300 123 0789 Email: help@painconcern.org.uk
This organisation provides information and support for people who need artificial feeding. They also have regional support groups for PINNT members.
PO Box 3126 Christchurch Dorset BH23 2XS
Telephone: 020 3004 6193 Email: comms@pinnt.com
British Red Cross services vary in different parts of the country. They provide medical equipment, transport and hospital escort services, home emergency personal care and home respite care. There are branches throughout the UK.
For general enquiries, telephone: 0344 871 11 11 (from overseas: +44 207 138 7900)
Offers mobility aids at low cost to help both elderly people and disabled adults and children. Has an extensive range of daily living aids and disability equipment.
Complete Care Shop 330 Four Oaks Rd Walton Summit Centre Preston PR5 8AP
Phone: 0300 1000 248 (Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm) Email: customerservice@completecareshop.co.uk
This is an online shop for daily living equipment for the disabled community, older people, or those who look after people with difficulty getting around.
Email: customerservice@essentialaids.com Phone: 01273 719 889
Living Made Easy is part of the Shaw Trust. It provides information and advice on equipment and aids to help with daily living.
Donating in someone’s name is a special way to honour their memory. Every pound helps fund life-saving research.
This is part of the NHS website. It can help you with information about caring for someone else.
Provides information and support, including advice on financial support to carers. The website has a search function to find local support in your area.
Gives information and support to carers on many issues. Has local groups all over the UK. The head office puts you in touch with your local group.
Helpline: 0808 808 7777 - Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm (including Bank Holidays). Email: advice@carersuk.org
Telephone: 0121 711 1343 Email: info@nafd.org.uk
Advises on arranging funerals. Gives information on the services provided by funeral directors and advises on what to do after someone has died. Has a list of funeral directors across the UK
Age UK provides information, advice and support for people in later life.
7th Floor One America Square 17 Crosswall London EC3N 2LB
Advice line: 0800 678 1602 (8am-7pm, 365 days a year)
This organisation provides independent advice about care homes in the UK and Ireland, including a directory listing homes by geographic region.
Phone: 01483 203066
An independent network that provides free advice about money, legal issues, housing health and social welfare issues. Often provides advice in English and other languages.
Disability Rights UK provides an information and advice service and campaigns for disabled people's rights.
They also provide a Just Can't Wait card and radar keys that give access to toilets throughout the UK for people who might need to use a toilet in a hurry. They also have several helplines providing information and advice.
Tel: 0330 995 0400 Email: enquiries@disabilityrightsuk.org
Family Action helps families with the most complex and difficult issues they are facing. This includes financial difficulties, mental health problems, social isolation, learning disabilities, domestic abuse, or substance misuse and alcohol problems.
Phone: 0808 802 6666 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm) Text: 07537 404 282
Macmillan Cancer Support is a charity that gives practical and medical support to people with cancer in the UK. Its helpline offers support with clinical, emotional, general and welfare benefits needs. They also publish booklets about cancer and treatments. Information is available in other languages.
Freephone: 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm) Contact email form
For general health advice and information.
NHS 111 gives information if you need fast medical help but it's not a 999 emergency.
Phone: 111
NHS 24 is a website for people in Scotland. It has information about:
111 - If you need urgent health advice when your GP Practice or Dental Surgery is closed
NHS Inform - which is Scotland's health information service. It offers quality assured health and care information via a website and phone service
SCOPE is a disability equality charity in England and Wales. They provide practical information and emotional support when it's most needed. They also campaign to create a fairer society.
Phone: 0808 800 3333 Email: helpline@scope.org.uk
Last reviewed: 22 Jan 2025
Next review due: 22 Jan 2028
When someone is dying with cancer, they and their carers can get help and support. This information might help at a very emotional and difficult time.
Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.
Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
There are many resources and organisations available that can support you and your children.
We know that it is common to struggle with your mental health when you have cancer or care for someone with cancer.
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Questions about cancer? Call freephone 0808 800 40 40 from 9 to 5 - Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can email us.
