Welcome to our directory of health and wellbeing resources. They include booklets, websites, phone apps and videos developed by specialist organisa​tions 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.

You can also find information about the support available from the Macmillan Support and Information Service. Our support and information specialists can help you to find the advice and support that's right for you. Email us at uclh.supportandinformation@nhs.net, call us on 020 3447 3816 or drop in to the Macmillan Support and Information Service on the ground floor of the Cancer Centre.

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.

 

NHS advice about physical activity

For advice on how much to exercise and the types of exercise to do visit the following pages:

 

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

Macmillan Cancer Support Move More video series

 

Videos giving advice about being active

 

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.

 

GP referral

Ask your GP what’s available in your local area, including GP gym referral schemes.

 

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:

 

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.

 

Macmillan Cancer Support resources

 

Video

Cancer Wellbeing London Cancer Pain video.

 

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 

University College London Hospitals Manage your fatigue video and information sheet.

 

Macmillan Cancer support

 

Phone app

Untire: Beating cancer fatigue phone app gives step-by-step advice to help you to overcome fatigue.

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:

 

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 face-to-face 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:

 

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

 

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, 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

 

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

 

Other resources
  • Mind has lots of useful advice and resources to help you to manage your emotions. 

  • NHS: Every Mind Matters has tips and tools to help you to manage your mental health. 

  • Anxiety UK provides information, advice and support to anyone living with anxiety. 

  • Campaign Against Living Miserably provides advice and support to anyone in emotional crisis. 

  • Mental Health Foundation provides information, advice and support to help people to manage their psychological and emotional wellbeing.  

  • No Panic provides advice, support and recovery programmes to anyone living with anxiety. 

  • Samaritans provides support to anyone in emotional distress. 

 

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:

 

Videos

The following videos include patients' experiences and expert advice on how to cope with hair loss:

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:

 

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.

 

Video 

University College London Hospitals Improve your sleep video and information sheet.

 

Other resources
  • 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 

         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

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

 

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.  

 
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.