Cancer is a worrying topic for anyone. If you’ve got a serious mental illness, cancer might seem particularly scary, isolating or overwhelming.
People with serious mental illness often find it more difficult to get the support they need when it comes to cancer. This can mean their cancers are less likely to be spotted at an earlier and more treatable stage, or that their treatment (if they are diagnosed with cancer) is less successful.
However, there is hope – things are getting better. Many projects are taking place across the country to improve cancer diagnosis and care for people with serious mental illnesses.
These include new cancer resources for people with serious mental illnesses designed by NHS organisations in south London, working closely with people with lived experience. The resource content is designed for any person with serious mental illness living anywhere in England who wants to know more about cancer advice and support.
Whether you want to understand your risks of cancer, you are in the cancer diagnosis process or you are undergoing cancer treatment, you can find out more by visiting our pages below:
These resources were co-designed with people with lived experience of cancer and serious mental illness, as well as both mental health and oncology specialist clinicians. We extend our thanks to everyone involved who gave their time to inform and design these important resources.