There are a number of emotional, physical, practical and social challenges that cancer survivors may face once they finish cancer treatment, including late effects of cancer treatment and the fear of cancer returning.
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General fact sheets
We also recommend:
- Cancer Mind Care - Peter Mac and Victorian Integrated Cancer Services: self-help online platform that offers tailored mental health support for people with cancer, their support persons, clinicians and First Nations peoples.
- My Cancer Guide - Cancer Council: online guide to search for the support services needed based on your cancer and location. Services include psychological support, help at home, wigs and scarves, exercise programs, treatment centres, financial counselling and much more.
- Cancer pathways – Cancer Council: for cancer specific information from diagnosis onwards
- Living well after Cancer – Cancer Council: a guide for cancer survivors, their families and friends
- Understanding changes in thinking and cognition – Cancer Council: a guide for people affected by cancer
- Can-Sleep: Making night-time sleep problems go away – Peter Mac: a guide for people with cancer
- Getting well after cancer – easy ENGLISH
- Fertility After Cancer - resources to assist with knowing your options for having children in the future
Cancer Specific fact sheets
Survivorship care plan templates
Survivorship care plans (SCP) provide a useful summary of your treatment and what you can expect afterwards, they may also include useful health and wellbeing advice. Although each cancer is different, the ACSC provides a general survivorship care plan (SCP) template for people who have not received a plan. You can use the plan to enter the relevant information and save it or print it out for your records. You will need to know the cancer treatment you received, and details of your after treatment care.
mycareplan.org.au
mycareplan.org.au is an online tool that can be used to create a survivorship care plan after treatment for early-stage breast, prostate or bowel cancer. The website is quick and easy to use, and freely available to health professionals and patients. The website can be accessed at www.mycareplan.org.au
Information about life after cancer in other languages ‘On the road to recovery’
- On the road to recovery - Arabic | الطريق إلى التعافي بنسق صوتي (audio)
- On the road to recovery - English | audio
- On the road to recovery - Greek | Πορεία προς την ανάρρωση τώρα σε ακουστική μορφή (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Hindi | ऑडियो फॉर्मेट में स्वास्थ्य-लाभ के मार्ग पर (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Italian | In via di guarigione ora in formato audio (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Simplified Chinese | 以普通话录制的录音 (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Tagalog | Daan patungo sa paggaling ay nasa Audio format na ngayon (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Traditional Chinese | 以普粤语录制的录音 (audio)
- On the road to recovery - Vietnamese | Hành trình hồi phục giờ đây có tài liệu thâu âm (audio)
Survivor stories
The ACSC has come together with survivors of different cancer types to tell their stories. The sharing of survivor stories can foster a feeling of connection to others and provide support to reflect on how you have coped and where you are in your journey. Please continue on to our Survivor Stories here.
We also recommend the following range of videos, audio files and podcasts:
Videos
- A common path: Life after cancer
- Just Take it Day to Day survivorship video series
- Living with and beyond cancer
- General practice and cancer survivorship video
- On the Road to Recovery (Mandarin)
- On the Road to Recovery (Cantonese)
Cancer Wellness Program topics:
- Managing cancer-related fatigue (Peter Mac): 14.25 minutes
- Physical activity and survivorship (Cancer Council Victoria): 15.05 minutes
- Healthy eating and nutrition (Cancer Council Victoria): 4.10 minutes
- Emotional health and wellbeing (Cancer Council Victoria): 5.46 minutes
- Life management, finances and work (Cancer Council Victoria): 6.44 minutes
We recommend the following resource for young people who have experienced cancer:
- YCS Website Life After Cancer Resources
- Getting Cancer Young – Survivorship Playlist (youtube).
Audio
- Meditation Soundtrack – Peter Mac Spiritual Care department
- Learning to relax – Cancer Council QLD
- Relaxation for people with cancer – Cancer Council
- Mindful meditation for people with cancer – Cancer Council
- Audio factsheets - BCNA
Podcasts and Webinars
These links will take you to external websites.
- Podcast - Cancer Survivorship Guide: Welcome to Survivorship. Prof Michael Jefford (ACSC Director) and Dr Karolina Lisy (researcher, ACSC) spoke to ABC Radio presenter, Penny Johnston, focusing on what is cancer survivorship.
- Webinars for cancer survivors – Cancer Council NSW Topics include: Preventing recurrence, communication, body image, sleep, financial matters, caring for the carer and many more
- Webcasts – Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA)
- Expert Talks & Past Webinars – Counterpart Topics include: Long-term effects, fatigue, menopause, sleep, chemobrain, wellness and many more
- Webinars – Ovarian Cancer Australia Topics include: Exercise, fear of recurrence, relationships, body image and sexuality, early menopause, supporting carers and more
- Video Gallery – Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Topics include: Exercise, sex and intimacy, nutrition, side-effects, treatment advances and many more
- Podcast: The Thing About Cancer – Cancer Council NSW
- Podcast: Cancer Survivor Guide – Grampians Integrated Cancer Service & Health Issues Centre