If you have been told that you have cancer then you may find it very difficult to talk about what’s happening to you and how you feel. Most people with cancer find it awkward and embarrassing (or uncomfortable and even painful) to talk about their illness with their family and friends – as well as with the nurses, doctors and other professionals looking after them. If that’s what you are feeling, then this section has been written to help you.

This section offers some simple advice that will make you feel more comfortable about asking what you want and need to know. It will help you to talk about what you are feeling, if you want to.

It can also help you to understand why your friends, family and even your doctors and nurses may find talking awkward. It gives tips on how you can help them – even though you may feel that they should be helping you!

This section aims to help you:

• understand the most common reactions to being told you have cancer
• understand what your friends and family may be feeling
• find a sensible and practical approach that will help you to talk about your cancer more freely and easily.

In this way you can get the emotional support that you need.

It is very important to realise that there is no single ‘correct’ way to cope with cancer. This section can give you some general guidelines that you may find helpful. But how you talk to people about your cancer will depend very much on your own personality and how you usually talk to the people around you.

Don’t be worried if the examples or illustrations used do not fit in with your own style - you can adapt them to suit yourself.