Welcome to our directory of health and wellbeing resources. They include booklets, websites, phone apps and videos developed by specialist organisations to help you manage the physical and emotional impact of cancer. Although we list them in our directory we cannot accept responsibility for the support they offer.
Our support and information specialists can also help you to find advice and support that's right for you. Email us at uclh.
There is a range of support available to help you drink less, or quit smoking or drugs:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and support to help you to quit alcohol or drugs, or drink less. They can also signpost you to organisations in your area that can help.
More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
NHS
The NHS has a range of advice and support:
- Advice and other resources are available on their Live Well website to help you quit alcohol, smoking, and drugs.
- A range of quit smoking support tools are available including a phone app, daily emails, Facebook community and a helpline.
- A range of drink less support tools are available including a helpline, a phone app and tips to cut down alcohol.
- A directory of services that can help with addictions. Search ‘alcohol’, 'drug’ or 'smoking’ and enter your postcode to find service local to you.
Other organisations
- Alcoholics Anonymous is a free self-help group. You can find a list of local groups on their website. You can also get support by email: help
@aamail.org or on their free helpline: 0800 917 7650. - Drink Aware has advice and support to help you to reduce your drinking.
- Smart Recovery groups help people decide whether they have a problem, build up their motivation to change, and offer a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.
- Quit is a UK charity which provides support and advice to people who want to quit smoking. You can call their quitline on 0800 00 22 00 to get support from a trained counsellor.
- Asthma and Lung UK has advice to help you quit smoking.
Being physically active before, during and after treatment can have many benefits. These include reducing the side-effects of treatment, improving your physical and mental wellbeing, and reducing the risk of a new cancer or another health condition.
There is a range of support available to help you to become physically active:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and support to help you to be more physically active. They can also signpost you to organisations in your area that can help.
More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Exercise videos
- British Heart Foundation chair-based exercises
- NHS Fitness Studio exercise videos
- MAKE YOUR MOVE - YouTube - a range of exercises for people with long term health conditions
- Move More video series - created by Macmillan Cancer Support
Exercise schemes
- Ask your GP what’s available in your local area, including GP gym referral schemes.
- Penny Brohn UK, the cancer health and wellbeing charity, offer online yoga, Tai Chi, and strength and stamina exercise classes.
- Tottenham Hotspur Foundation -Move 4 You. This 12-week exercise programme is for anyone aged 18 years and older, who has been diagnosed with cancer in the last five years, and who lives in or has access to healthcare in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington.
- Trekstock offer a bespoke exercise programme for people who have cancer and are in their 20s or 30s. You have the choice of joining online or in person. Their website has details on how you can sign-up.
- Get Active is a directory of low cost and free activities in your local area. The exercise classes you find might not be led by instructors who have special training in working with people who have cancer.
NHS advice about physical activity
For advice on how much to exercise and the types of exercise to do visit the following pages:
Videos offering advice on being active
- Cancer Wellbeing London Cancer and physical activity video
- Macmillan Cancer Support Physical activity advice video
Macmillan Cancer Support booklet
Physical activity and cancer booklet gives advice about being physically active during and following cancer treatment. You can download it or order it online to be sent to your home.
We have included some resources that may help you to manage changes to your body or appearance following your cancer treatment.
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and emotional support to help you to manage changes to your appearance or body. More information about what the team offers and how you can contact them is available on the support and information page.
Support groups
Talking to others with similar experiences can help you to manage the changes to your body or appearance. We run a variety of support groups and have more information about these on our support groups page.
Psychological and emotional support
If you are struggling to cope with changes to your appearance or body, you may be able to access psychological support. Visit our psychological and emotional care team page for more information including how you can be referred.
Charities
The following charities offer support and advice about managing changes to you body or appearance:
- Anthony Nolan has advice about body image for people who have had a bone marrow transplant.
- Bowel Cancer UK has advice about body image and sex.
- Breast Cancer Now has advice about managing changes to your body following breast cancer treatment.
- Cancer Hair Care provides support and advice to anyone with hair loss caused by cancer treatment.
- Changing Faces provides support and advice to anyone who has a visible difference.
- Look Good Feel Better provides practical advice including skin care and make-up techniques to anyone who has had cancer treatment.
- Macmillan Cancer Support has advice on their website about managing changes to your appearance or body. They also have a range of booklets giving advice about changes to your appearance and body.
- My New Hair provides support and advice to anyone with medical hair loss.
- Ovacome has advice about managing side effects of treatment for ovarian cancer such as hair loss, skin changes and living with a stoma.
Other charities may also have information about managing changes to your appearance and body. We have a directory of UK cancer charities which may be able to help.
If you experience pain related to your cancer or blood condition, tell your hospital doctor or nurse. Here is some general advice you may find helpful:
Complementary therapies
We offer a range of complementary therapies which can help you to manage your cancer pain. Visit our complementary therapies page for more information.
Other resources
- The Macmillan Cancer Support's Managing cancer pain booklet and Managing cancer pain web page.
- Managing cancer pain video (available with Arabic, Bengali and Turkish subtitles).
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms or side effects people with cancer experience. There is a range of support available to help you to manage your fatigue:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and emotional support to help you to manage your fatigue. More information about what the team offers and how you can contact them is available on the support and information page.
Video
Manage your fatigue video (available with Arabic, Bengali and Turkish subtitles) and information sheet.
Macmillan Cancer support
- Macmillan Cancer Support have lots of advice and tips on their website about managing fatigue.
- The Coping with fatigue booklet gives advice about managing fatigue. You can download it or order it online to be sent to your home.
- You can also listen to their Coping with fatigue audiobook.
Phone app
Untire: Beating cancer fatigue phone app gives step-by-step advice to help you to overcome fatigue.
When you use the app, you'll be part of Untire's research. After you complete the first questionnaire on their website, they will send you a code to access the app.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust cannot accept responsibility for information provided by external organisations.
Chemo brain is a common term that describes changes in memory, thinking and concentration that can happen as side effect of cancer treatment. People who have chemo brain may have various symptoms such as difficulty focussing or concentrating, forgetting words, and losing things easily.
There is a range of support available if you have chemo brain:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice to help you to manage the symptoms of chemo brain. More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Support groups
Talking to others with similar experiences, and sharing tips, can help you to manage the symptoms of chemo brain. We run a variety of support groups and have more information about these on our support group page.
Charities
The following charities have information about what chemo brain is, possible causes and tips to manage it:
- Cancer Research UK coping with cognitive changes
- Lymphoma Action UK chemo brain (cancer related cognitive changes)
- Lymphoma Action UK’s chemo brain video includes information from a health expert and someone who has had chemo brain about what chemo brain is and tips to manage it.
- Macmillan Cancer Support cognitive changes (chemo brain)
Tell your hospital doctor or nurse if you're experiencing problems with eating. They can offer advice and may be able to suggest treatments to help.
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer simple advice, and provide information booklets and support to help. They can also refer you for diet and nutrition advice.
More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Diet and nutrition advice
If you have problems eating, our team of dietitians can help. Ask your hospital doctor, nurse or a support and information specialist to refer you. The team offer in person and telephone consultations. There’s more information about the service on our diet and nutrition advice page.
Macmillan Cancer Support booklets
There are a range of Macmillan Cancer Support booklets with advice about managing eating problems. You can download them or order them to be sent to your home:
- Eating problems and cancer
- The building-up diet
- Managing weight gain after cancer treatment
- Side effects of cancer treatment
Video
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust have produced a series of diet and cancer videos. The topics include:
- What should I eat if I feel sick?
- What should I eat if I have a sore mouth?
Other resources
- Cancer Research UK has information about diet problems related to cancer.
- Macmillan Cancer Support has advice on their website about eating problems and cancer.
- World Cancer Research Fund has information about coping with side-effects of cancer treatment.
Eating well has many benefits: it can reduce fatigue, improve physical wellbeing, give you a sense of control, and reduce the risk of new cancers or other health conditions. There is a range of support available to help you to eat well:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer simple healthy eating advice, and provide information booklets and support on eating well. They can also refer you for diet and nutrition advice.
More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Diet and nutrition advice
If you'd like advice about diet and eating well, our team of dietitians can help. Ask your hospital doctor, nurse or a support and information specialist to refer you. The team offer face-to-face and telephone consultations. There’s more information about the service on our diet and nutrition advice page.
Macmillan Cancer Support resources
- The Healthy eating and cancer booklet can be downloaded or ordered to be sent to your home.
- The Eating well video (on the prehabiliation web page) gives advice on making small changes to your diet. Making small changes can make a difference to how you feel over time.
Other resources
- The NHS Eat Well web page has a range of information about healthy eating and a selection of recipes.
- The Association of UK Dietitians website has lots of useful information to help you to eat a healthy diet, including food facts and recipes.
- Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Centre website has lots of information including recipes, diet guides, advice and tips.
- Cancer Research UK has information about cancer and diet, including tackling myths.
- World Cancer Research Fund has information about healthy eating.
Having a diagnosis of cancer or a blood condition can be challenging and it may affect the way you feel. There is a range of support available:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and emotional support to help you manage the emotional impact of cancer or a blood condition. They can also signpost you to other organisations that can help.
More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Support groups
Talking to others with similar experiences can help you to manage the emotional impact of cancer or a blood condition. We run a variety of support groups and have more information about these on our support groups page.
Psychological and emotional support
If you are experiencing ongoing issues of anxiety or low mood, or find it difficult to manage your thoughts and feelings, you can speak to one of our psychologists. Visit our psychological and emotional care team page for more information including how you can be referred.
Complementary therapies
We offer a range of complementary therapies which can help you to manage you emotions. Visit our complementary therapies page for more information.
Macmillan Cancer Support resources
- The Impacts of cancer A to Z web page gives useful tips and advice to manage the emotional impact of cancer.
- The Mental wellbeing video (on the prehabiliation web page) gives advice different types of emotional support.
- The How are you feeling? booklet gives tips and advice to manage the emotional impact of cancer. You can download it or order it online to be sent to your home.
Other resources
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Mind has lots of useful advice and resources to help you to manage your emotions.
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NHS: Every Mind Matters has tips and tools to help you to manage your mental health.
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Anxiety UK provides information, advice and support to anyone living with anxiety.
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Campaign Against Living Miserably provides advice and support to anyone in emotional crisis.
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Mental Health Foundation provides information, advice and support to help people to manage their psychological and emotional wellbeing.
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No Panic provides advice, support and recovery programmes to anyone living with anxiety.
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Samaritans provides support to anyone in emotional distress.
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The Listening Place provides support to anyone who feels life is no longer worth living.
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Cancer Wellbeing London Managing your emotions video.
Meditation, mindfulness and relaxation exercises
Here are some links to web pages which offer guidance through meditation, mindfulness and relaxation exercises:
- Every Mind Matters videos have tips to improve your mental health. They include a video on progressive muscle relaxation (a type of relaxation exercise), mindful breathing exercise and a beditation exercise (a mediation exercise to help you to sleep).
- Headspace offer a free, 10-minute guided mediation.
- Mindful offer a free, 3-part mindfulness series.
- Mind offer a guide to relaxation a mindfulness.
- Oxford Mindfulness Foundation offer free, online mindfulness sessions at 1pm and 7pm each week day. They also have a range of podcasts for self-guided mindfulness.
Cancer treatments may cause you to lose your hair. There is a range of support available if you have hair loss:
Wig and scarf tying advice at UCLH
Wig and scarf tying advice is available to anyone having treatment at UCLH who experiences hair loss as a result of their condition or treatment. More information about what we offer, including how you can be referred, is available on our wig and scarf tying advice page.
Organisations
- Cancer Hair Care provides support and advice to anyone with hair loss caused by cancer treatment.
- Look Good Feel Better provides practical advice including make-up techniques to anyone who has lost their eyebrows and eyelashes through cancer treatment.
- My New Hair provides support and advice to anyone with medical hair loss.
Information about hair loss
The following websites have information about coping with hair loss:
- Cancer Research UK: Hair loss, hair thinning and cancer drugs
- Macmillan Cancer Support web page: Hair loss
- Macmillan Cancer Support Coping with hair loss booklet has advice to help you to prepare for, and cope with, hair loss.
- NHS website: Hair loss
Videos
The following videos include patients' experiences and expert advice on how to cope with hair loss:
- Macmillan Cancer Support Coping with hair loss video documents three people's experience of losing their hair through cancer treatment
- Macmillan Cancer Support Tutorial: choosing and styling a wig for hair loss video
- Macmillan Cancer Support Tutorial: eye make-up for hair loss video
- Lymphoma Action UK Trevor’s hair loss experience after chemo video
- Cancer Hair Care videos give advice to manage hair loss
- Look Good Feel Better video tutorials give advice on skin care, make-up, hair loss and nail care.
Sometimes cancer treatment can affect your sex life. There is a range of support available to help you to manage these changes:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and emotional support to help you to manage changes to your sex life. More information about what the team offers and how you can contact them is available on the support and information page.
Support groups
Though you may find it hard at first, talking to others with similar experiences can help you to cope with changes to your sex life. We run a variety of support groups and have more information about these on our support groups page.
Psychological and emotional support
If you are struggling to cope with changes to your sex life or intimacy, you may be able to access psychological support. Visit our psychological and emotional care team page for more information including how you can be referred.
Charities
The following charities have advice about sex and intimacy either on their website or in a booklet. They may also have information about other ways they can support you:
- Anthony Nolan has advice about sex and relationships.
- Bowel Cancer UK has advice about body image and sex.
- Breast Cancer Now has advice about sex, intimacy and breast cancer.
- Leukaemia Care has a booklet about sex and leukaemia.
- Macmillan Cancer Support has advice about sex and cancer. They also have a Cancer and your sex life booklet with tips and advice.
- Ovacome has advice about ovarian cancer and sex.
- Prostate Cancer UK’s booklet Prostate cancer and your sex life gives advice about how treatment for prostate cancer can affect your sex life and information about available support.
- Sex With Cancer give advice on the most commonly asked questions about sex and cancer.
Other charities may also have information about sex and intimacy and cancer. We have a directory of UK cancer charities which may be able to help.
It is common for sleep to be affected after a diagnosis of cancer or a blood condition. Reasons for sleep problems include worry at night, changes to medications, treatment side effects or changes to your lifestyle. There is a range of support available to help you to overcome your sleep problems:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and support if you have sleep problems. More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Complementary therapies
We offer a range of complementary therapies which can help you to overcome sleep problems, such as relaxation exercises and aromatherapy. Visit our complementary therapies page for more information.
Other resources
- How to improve your sleep video (available with Arabic, Bengali and Turkish subtitles) and information sheet.
- Sleepio phone app is a six-week clinically proven programme used to treat insomnia. It is available free on the NHS.
- Macmillan Cancer Support Trouble Sleeping (insomnia) web page has information about sleep problems and advice to overcome them.
- The NHS insomnia web page has information about sleep problems and tips to improve sleep.
- The Sleep Council website has lots of advice, tips and tools to help you to overcome sleep problems.
- The Sleep Charity has lots of information online. They also have an eBook with information about sleep and advice to improve sleep problems. One version is available to read online and another version is available to print out.
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and support to help you to talk to children about your cancer, including tips on how to prepare what to say. More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Macmillan Cancer Support
- Macmillan's Talking to children and teenagers web page gives advice for parents, grandparents and carers about talking to children about cancer.
- Macmillan also have two booklets with advice about talking to children:
You can download the booklets or order it to be sent to your home.
Ruth Strauss Foundation
The Ruth Strauss Foundation supports families to prepare a child for the death of a parent. They offer support and guidance, a range of resources and information to support families.
Videos
- London Cancer Alliance: Telling your child you have cancer
- UCLH Macmillan Support and Information Service: Telling children about a cancer diagnosis
You may have questions or concerns about staying in work, or returning to work, after a cancer diagnosis. There is a range of information and advice available to support you:
Support and information drop-in at UCLH
Our team of support and information specialists can offer advice, information and emotional support to help you to stay in work or return to work. More information about what the team offers, and how you can contact them, is available on the support and information page.
Macmillan Cancer Support Resources
- Making decisions about work after treatment web page gives advice about staying in work or returning to work. It includes information on what your work rights are, and how to prepare for returning to work or looking for a new job.
- Work Support Service team can give advice by phone, email or online chat about work-related issues.
Macmillan Cancer Support booklets
There are a range of Macmillan Cancer Support booklets with advice about work and cancer. You can download or order them to be sent to your home:
- Work and Cancer booklet gives information on how cancer and its treatment can affect your ability to work. It covers employment rights and coping with the effects of treatment at work, such as fatigue.
- Self-employment and cancer booklet includes practical information about balancing your health needs and work, deciding who to tell and what to say to them, keeping the business operating, and managing finances when you are self-employed.
- Questions to ask about work and cancer leaflet.
- Your rights at work when you are affected with cancer booklet.
- Working while caring for someone with cancer booklet includes advice about the key issues working carers face, including employment rights, flexible working, getting support at work, and talking about cancer in the workplace.
- Questions for carers to ask about work and cancer leaflet.
- Managing cancer in the workplace booklet is a guide for employers to support staff in the workplace.
Video
Cancer Wellbeing London Cancer and work video has advice to help you stay in work, or return to work, following a cancer diagnosis.
Local councils
Visit your local council website to find organisations that can help you to stay in, or return to, employment. These organisations may include job centres which can help you to update your CV or support you to find a new job.
Working With Cancer
Working With Cancer is an organisation offering a range of resources to support people being in or returning to work after cancer. The resources include free to attend workshops, podcasts and articles.
