As of: February 23, 2024, 2:00 p.m
By: Judith Braun
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If a person gets cancer, it not only has consequences for their own life.
Relatives also often suffer.
How a loved one can deal with such a situation.
A cancer diagnosis is usually a shock for those affected.
At the same time, the situation has an impact on those around you - such as relatives, friends and acquaintances.
According to information from the
German Cancer Society
, in addition to patients, relatives often also need support in how they can deal with the terrible news, the cancer disease and the cancer patient.
Cancer: How relatives of cancer patients can deal with a diagnosis
The first priority is the well-being of the sick family member.
However, relatives should not lose sight of their own needs.
© Pond5 Images/IMAGO
Relatives are often not aware that they themselves need support and a strategy for dealing with the exceptional situation.
“You believe that you have to shoulder all the burdens without making any demands and as a result you lose awareness of your own needs,” says Prof. Petra Feyer, CEO of the Berlin Cancer Society, to the
ONKO internet portal
.
However, sooner or later this leads to a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Therefore, relatives of cancer patients are advised to do the following:
Get help
: If you feel anxious about your loved one's cancer, then confide your concerns to someone.
This could be, for example, a close friend or a psycho-oncologist with whom you can talk openly about your feelings.
According to the German Cancer Society,
free advice and support is available
nationwide at the psychosocial cancer advice centers of the 16 state cancer societies.
Ask the patient about their wishes
: To relieve yourself, as a relative, pay attention to how you communicate with the cancer patient.
Because there are sentences that it is better not to say to people with cancer.
Well-intentioned advice can sometimes be perceived as patronizing and misunderstood by the person concerned.
It is therefore advisable to ask the sick person directly about their wishes and needs.
For example, you could ask exactly what issues the person concerned needs help with and what they would like to do themselves in everyday life.
To avoid misunderstandings, you should also formulate your wishes in first-person messages when dealing with sensitive topics.
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