Support and self-help organisations

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This page gives patients information on various cancer support groups throughout the UK as well as other European and English speaking countries. To make the list easier for patients' orientation the support groups are divided into four main categories using a few criteria  - whether the support group deals with all types of cancer or specialises in one type of cancer only, whether the support is aimed to assist the patient or people caring for them, other criteria are the primary site of cancer (the part of body in which cancer started), and a country in which the particular support group operates. These groups are usually a great source of understanding and a compassionate reference. 

 

 

 

General UK cancer support groups:

The Afiya Trust (cancer support service for the black and  minority ethnic community) 
27-29 Vauxhall Grove, Vauxhall
London, SW8 1SY
Main telephone number: 020 7582 0400
Fax number: 020 7582 2552
Web site: http://afiyatrust.org.uk/

 

 

Bristol Cancer Help Centre
Grove House, Cornwallis Grove, Clifton
Bristol, BS8 4PG
Main telephone number: +44 (0) 117 980 9500
Fax number: +44 (0) 117 923 9184
Email: info@bristolcancerhelp.org
Web site: www.bristolcancerhelp.org

 

 

 

 

Cancerbackup
3 Bath Place, Rivington Street
London, EC2A 3JR
Helpline phone number: 020 7739 2280
Freephone helpline: 0808 800 1234
Fax number: +44 (0)20 7696 9002
Web site: www.cancerbackup.org.uk

 

 

 

 

Cancerlink
11-21 Northdown Street, 
London N1 9BN
Main telephone number: 020 7833 2818
Helpline phone number: 020 520 2603
Freephone helpline: 01808 808 0000
Fax number: 020 7833 4963
Email: cancerlink@cancerlink.org.uk 

 

 

Cancer Black Care (cancer support service for the black and  minority ethnic community)
79 Acton Lane, London, NW10 8UT
Main telephone number: 020 8961 4151
Fax number: 020 8 961 4152
Email: info@cancerblackcare.org
Web site: http://www.cancerblackcare.org/


Cancer Care Society
11 The Cornmarket, Romsey,
Hants SO51 8GB
Main telephone number: +44 (0) 1794 830300
Fax number: +44 (0) 1794 518133
Email: info@cancercaresoc.demon.co.uk
Web site: www.cancercaresoc.demon.co.uk

 

Cancer Equality (cancer support service for the black and  minority ethnic community)
27 - 29 Vauxhall grove, Vauxhall, 
London SW8 1SY
Main telephone number: 020 7735 7888
Fax number: 020 7820 1115
Web site: http://www.cancerequality.org.uk/


Cancer Research UK
P.O. Box 123, Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PX
Main telephone number: 020 7242 0200
Helpline telephone number: 020 7121 6699
Fax number: 020 7269 3100
Specialist cancer nurses: 020 7061 8355
Freephone helpline: 0800 226 237
Textphone: 0207 7061 8484
Web site: www.cancerresearchuk.org

 

CLIC Sargent (children's cancer)
Griffin House,161 Hammersmith Road,
London W6 8SG
Main telephone number: 020 8752 2800
Fax number: 020 8752 2806
Freephone helpline: 0800 197 0068
Email: helpline@clicsargent.org.uk
Web site: www.cancerresearchuk.org

 

Macmillan CancerLine
89 Albert Embankment
London, SE1 7UQ
Freephone helpline: 0808 808 2020
Textphone: 0808 808 0121
Email: cancerline@macmillan.org.uk
Web site: www.macmillan.org.uk

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care
89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP - England (head office)
Main telephone number: 020 7599 7777
Raglan Chambers, 63 Frogmore Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5AN -  Wales
Main telephone number: 01873 30 3000
29 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QN - Scotland
Main telephone number: 0131 456 3700
60 Knock Road, Belfast BT5 6LQ - Northern Ireland
Main telephone number: 028 9088 2060
Web site: http://www.mariecurie.org.uk



National Cancer Alliance
PO Box 579, Oxford OX4 1LB
Main telephone number: +44 (0) 1865 793566
Fax number: +44 (0) 1865 251050
Email: nationalcanceralliance@btinternet.com
Web site: www.nationalcanceralliance.co.uk

 

PAC Project (Positive Action on Cancer)
2a Market Place, Frome  
Somerset  BA11 1AG  
Main phone number: 01373 455 255 
Email: enquiries@positiveactiononcancer.co.uk 
Web site: www.pacproject.co.uk


 

UK cancer specific support groups:

 

Bowel (colorectal)

Bowel Cancer UK
7 Rickett Street, London, SW6 1RU - England
Main telephone number: 020 7381 9711
Helpline telephone number: 08708 50 60 50
Email (England): admin@bowelcanceruk.org.uk
20 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JX - Scotland
Main telephone number: 0131 225 5333
Helpline telephone number: 08708 50 60 50
Email (Scotland): scotadmin@bowelcanceruk.org.uk
Web site: www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk

 

Beating Bowel Cancer
39 Crown Road, St. Margarets,
Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 3EJ
Main telephone number: 020 8892 5256
Specialist nurse advisory line: 020 8892 1331
Fax number: 020 8892 1008
Email: info@beatingbowelcancer.org
Web site: beatingbowelcancer.org

 

British Colostomy Association
15 Station Road, Reading,
Berkshire RG1 1LG
Main telephone number: 0118 939 1537
Fax number: 0118 956 9095
Helpline telephone number: 0800 328 4257
Email: sue@bcass.org.uk
Web site: http://www.bcass.org.uk

 

Breast

Against Breast Cancer (ABC)
B363 Curie Avenue, Harwell Business Centre
Oxford, OX11 0RA
Telephone number: 0870 7744288
Fax number: 01235 820506
Email: info@aabc.org.uk
Web site: http://www.aabc.org.uk

 

Breast Cancer Care
Kiln House, 210 New Kings Road
London, SW6 4NZ
Main telephone number: 0207 384 2984
Helpline telephone number: 0808 800 6000
Fax number: 0207 384 3387
Email: uk@breastcare.co.uk, bcc@breastcancercare.org.uk
Web site: www.breastcancercare.org.uk

 

Breast Care Campaign
Blythe Hall, 100 Blythe Road,
London, W14 0HB
Main telephone number: 020 7371 1510
Helpline telephone number: 0207 371 4598

 

Breast Cancer Haven
Effie Road
London, SW6 1TB
Main telephone number: 020 7384 0099 
Fax number: 020 7384 0001
Email: info@breastcancerhaven.org.uk
Web site: www.breastcancerhaven.org.uk

 

Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline
Information Centre, St Anne's Cottage
Over Haddon, Derby, DE45 1JE
Main telephone number: 01629 813000
Email: canhelp@btopenworld.com

 

 

Brain

Ali's Dream ( childhood brain tumours)
30 Hermitage Way, Stanmore
Middlesex, HA7 2AY
Main telephone number: 020 8863 6068
Email: info@alisdream.org.uk
Web site: www.alisdream.org.uk

 

UK Brain Tumour Society
6 Queen Street, Whitehaven
Cumbria, CA28 7BB
Main telephone number: 0845 450 0386
Fax number: 0845 450 0386
Email: enquiries@ukbts.org.uk
Web site: http://www.ukbts.org.uk

 

Brain Tumour Foundation
PO Box 123, Tewkesbury
Gloucestershire, GL20 7YT
Main telephone number: 01684 290439
Fax number: 01684 290439
Email: btf.uk@virgin.net

 

Brain Tumour Action
124 Crewe Road South
Edinburgh, EH4 2NY
Main telephone number: 0131 315 7299
Helpline number: 0131 466 3116
Email: lorraine@braintumouraction.org.uk
Web site: www.braintumouraction.org.uk

 

British Brain and Spine Foundation
7 Winchester House, Kennington Park,
Cranmer Road, London, SW9 6EJ
Main telephone number: 0808 808 1000
Email: info@bbsf.org.uk
Web site: www.bbsf.org.uk

 

Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust
Century House, High Street, Hartley Wintney
Hampshire RG27 8NY
Fax number: 0845 130 9744
Helpline number: 0845 130 9733
Email: patientinfo@sdbtt.co.uk, enquiries@sdbtt.co.uk
Web site: http://www.sdrt.co.uk

 

Lung

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
200 London Road , Liverpool,
Merseyside, L3 9TA
Main telephone number: (+44) 0871 220 5426
Helpline number: 0800 358 7200
Fax number: (+44) 0871 220 5427
Email: foundation@roycastle.liv.ac.uk 
Web site: http://www.roycastle.org

 

Lymphoma

The Lymphoma Association
P O Box 386
Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 2GA
Main telephone number: 01296 619400
Freephone helpline: 0808 808 5555
Email: information@lymphoma.org.uk
Web site: http://www.lymphoma.org.uk/

 

Kidney

Kidney Cancer UK
PO Box 2473, Uttoxeter, ST14 8WZ 
Main telephone number: 01889 565801
Email: julienash@kcuk.org
Web site: http://www.kcuk.org/

 

Ovary

Ovacome
Elizabeth Garret Anderso Hospital, Huntley Street,
London WC1E 6DH
Main telephone number: 020 7380 9589
Fax number: 020 7380 9877
Email: ovacome@ovacome.org.uk
Web site: http://www.ovacome.org.uk/Home

 

Prostate

The Prostate Cancer Charity
3 Angel Walk, London W6 9HX
Main telephone number: 020 8222 7622
Freephone helpline: 0800 074 8383
Fax number: 020 8222 7639
Email: info@prostate-cancer.org.uk
Web site: http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/

 

Carers support groups:

 

Carers UK
20-25 Glasshouse Yard, London  EC1A 4JT 
Main telephone number: 020 7490 8818
Helpline telephone number: 0808 808 7777
Fax number: 020 7490 8824
Email: info@carersuk.org
Web site: www.carersuk.org

 

Carers Scotland
91 Mitchell Street, Glasgow  G1 3LN
Main telephone number: 0141 221 9141
Helpline telephone number: 0808 808 7777
Email: info@carerscotland.org
Web site: www.carerscotland.org

 

Carers Wales
River House, Ynsbridge Court, Gwaelod-y-Garth
Cardiff CF15 9SS
Main telephone number: 029 2081 1370
Helpline telephone number: 0808 808 7777
Email: info@carerswales.org
Web site: www.carerswales.org

 

Carers Northern Ireland
58 Howard Street, Belfast BT1 6PJ
Main telephone number: 028 9043 9843
Helpline telephone number: 0808 808 7777
Email: info@carersni.org
Web site: www.carersni.org

 

Carers in Bedfordshire
The Goldington Centre, 10 Barkers Lane,
Bedford MK41 9SJ
Main telephone number: 01234 214 914
Email: contact@carersinbeds.co,uk
Web site: http://www.carersinbeds.co.uk/

 

 

International cancer support groups:

USA:

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
Main telephone number: (1) 212-639-2000
Helpline number: (1) 212-639-4900
Freephone helpline: 888-675-7722
Email: publicaffairs@mskcc.org
Web site: http://www.mskcc.org

 

 

National Cancer Institute
Web site: http://www.cancer.gov

 

American Cancer Society
Web site: http://www.cancer.org

 

Academic and research organisations

Imperial cancer research fund - General information about cancer, including causes, prevention and treatment.

Gray Laboratories - A laboratory based in North London researching Radiotherapy and molecular biology.

The Institute of Cancer Research - One of the largest research institutes in the UK - it is affiliated with the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Cancer Research Campaign
http://www.crc.org.uk/

Imperial Cancer Research Fund
http://www.icnet.uk/

http://kryton.cr.man.ac.uk/table.htm
Cancer Group Institute
Founded in 1961, this resource from Dr. Jonathan Stillwell is an excellent provider of cancer information.

http://www.cancergroup.com/
Cansearch a guide to cancer resources- American guide to help with your search for vital information about cancer. Useful for both patients and families..

http://www.access.digex.net/~mkragen/cansearch.html
Clinical trials in Cancer Research - information for patients. Information for cancer sufferers who are taking part in, or about to take part in, clinical trials. The University of Bonn's medical centre (their spelling) recycles the info from the German National Cancer Institute. The site is in English

http://imsdd.meb.uni-bonn.de/cancernet/203900.html
Institute of Food Research. Company registered as a charity, with labs at Norwich and Reading, with 500 staff doing high-powered research on food and health (eg: broccoli, cauli and sprouts may protect you against cancer)

http://www.ifrn.bbsrc.ac.uk/
Guide to Internet Resources for Cancer

www.ucl.ac.uk/oncology University College London - Oncology - scientific and medical cancer research

 

Complementary medicine organisations

The Royal Homeopathic Hospital  The UK's only NHS complementary medicine Hospital. 

The Bristol cancer helpline. A unit which brings together holistic healthcare practitioners for mutual support and personal and professional development. Publications include self-help books and tapes ranging from breathing and relaxation to medication and diet.

 The National Cancer Institute alternative medicine web sites. A web site established by the NCI

 A web site sanctioned by the National Cancer Institute. A web site built in association with the NCI

Gerson therapy. This homepage is the largest and most comprehensive source of alternative and holistic medicines including information on in

Further general information Your doctors and specialist nurses are in an ideal position to give you relevant information on your disease and treatment as they know your individual circumstances. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a prize winning video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk has over 500 pages describing cancer, its management, practical tips and tool which patients, their carers and their doctors have found helpful during the cancer journey.

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