This is called stigma and can sometimes make a person with cancer blame themselves for their illness or feel left out, isolated, depressed, and as if they don’t have much support.

Some people are made to feel guilty by others who might ask them if they did things in the past that might have caused their cancer. Someone with cancer might feel guilty that they’ve done something to cause their cancer. Some may need extra help from a support group or a mental health professional to learn to deal with the changes cancer has brought into their lives. Over time, most people are able to adjust to the new reality in their lives and go forward. This is normal and is a part of the process of grieving what was lost to the cancer (things like health, energy, time). There may be times when the uncertainty and fear make the person with cancer seem angry, depressed, or withdrawn. You can offer to listen whenever they’re ready. Or, if they don’t feel like talking right at that time, that’s OK, too. Let them know that you’re open to talking whenever they feel like it.

Don’t make light of, judge, or try to change the way the person feels or acts. Try to hear and understand how they feel. When talking with someone who has cancer, the most important thing is to listen. Communication and flexibility are the keys to success. You might be able to help them find someone who is more comfortable talking about it by helping them look for support groups or connecting with a community or religious leader.īut if you feel you want to be there to help the person in your life with cancer, here are some suggestions for listening to, talking with, and being around this person. You can even explain to your friend that you are having trouble talking about cancer. You may need some time to work through your own feelings. If you are not comfortable talking about cancer, you might not be the best person for your friend to talk with at this time. If you’re very close to the person, this can be a frightening and stressful time for you, too. Finding out that someone you know has cancer can be difficult.

Those are brave words for someone