When you’ve just been diagnosed with any illness, it can be a very confusing, emotional and mind-boggling time. With so much to process and navigate, it’s also tough to know what to do or how to get through each day.
From daily living requirements to finances and benefits, below is a summary of organisations and charities that can help you out at different stages. It provides a brief outline of what they do and their main area of focus.
Remember that you can also access palliative care, which isn’t just for end-of-life matters. It’s for chronically ill and terminal patients to help improve quality of life, no matter which stage you’re at.
- Support from Diagnosis / All Stages
These organisations are relevant from the moment of diagnosis and continue through treatment, living with the condition or long-term management.
| Organisation | What they do & how they help |
|---|---|
| Maggie’s | Free centres (UK‐wide) offering emotional, psychological and practical support for anyone with cancer (and their family/carers) at any stage. They help with coping, stress management, benefits and daily living. |
| Macmillan Cancer Support | UK-wide major charity. Provide information, practical/financial help (benefits advice), emotional support, peer groups, resources for people living with cancer throughout the journey (diagnosis → living with → advanced). |
| Cancer Support Scotland | Scotland-based national charity for anyone affected by cancer (patients, families, carers). Offers counselling, wellbeing support, and complementary therapies. Good for region-specific help. |
| CLAN Cancer Support | North‐east Scotland (Aberdeen, Moray, Orkney, Shetland) charity. Free emotional & practical support for people affected by cancer, including transport/accommodation when travelling for treatment. |
| Breast Cancer Now | UK charity with services for people affected by breast cancer: information, talk-to-nurse, living with cancer etc. Useful for specific diagnoses |
| Cancer Support UK | UK wide, supports people during and after cancer treatment (e.g., for “new normal” after treatment) – good for longer-term support |
2. Support for Living with, After Treatment, or Long-Term Management
These are especially helpful once the immediate shock of diagnosis has passed, when someone is adapting, living with their condition, or thinking about life after treatment.
| Organisation | What they do & how they help |
| Cancer Support UK (from above) | Their “Cancer Coach” and support group programmes are geared to people post-treatment who might feel unsupported in the “new normal”. |
| Worldwide Cancer Research | Based in Scotland, funds early-stage cancer research worldwide — useful for insights into research, hope and future possibilities. |
3. Support for Advanced / Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Care
These organisations focus on palliative care, end-of-life planning, bereavement support and living well with a life-limiting condition.
| Organisation | What they do & how they help |
| Marie Curie | UK charity specialising in palliative/end-of-life care. For people with an illness they are likely to die from (not just cancer). Provide nursing at home, hospices, support for carers & families. |
| Sue Ryder | UK charity offering end-of-life care and grief/bereavement support via hospices and at home. |
| Cruse Bereavement Support | The UK’slargest bereavement charity; helpful for families/friends after someone has died. |
| The Ellen McArthur Cancer Trust | Supports young people (8-24) post-cancer to rebuild confidence through adventure and peer support; a niche but important mention. |
Local Support in Aberdeen & Grampian (my area)
These services are based in or around Aberdeen and provide hands-on support for those living with cancer, chronic or terminal illness — as well as help for carers and families.
| Organisation | What they do & how they help |
|---|---|
| Friends of Roxburghe House (Grampian) | A local charity supporting the specialist palliative care unit at Roxburghe House in Aberdeen. They enhance comfort, dignity and quality of life for patients with life-limiting conditions. Offers therapeutic activities, family support, and small comforts that make a big difference during care. Discover my experience here |
| Bon Accord Care Services | An Aberdeen City Council-owned care provider offering community-based support to help people live safely and independently at home. Their services include reablement support, day activities, occupational therapy, and short-term care. Particularly useful for those adjusting after diagnosis or during recovery. They provided me with a few adjustments to help me at home when I was discharged from hospital to help with mobility. |
| Macmillan Project – Aberdeen Citizens Advice Bureau | A partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support and Aberdeen CAB. Provides free, confidential advice on benefits, debt, housing, employment rights, and financial grants for people affected by cancer in Grampian. They can also assist carers and family members navigating the system. |
No matter what stage you find yourself in, remember that there are people and places ready to hold you through it.
Whether it’s a benefits adviser easing your financial worries, a counsellor helping you process difficult emotions, or a volunteer offering a listening ear, these small acts of support can make an enormous difference.
“You don’t have to see the whole path. Just take the first step — and trust that support will meet you there.”
And it’s not just for those living with illness. Families, carers, and friends often carry invisible burdens too. Many of these services offer them guidance, rest, and a safe space to share what they’re going through.
It is all there to support you.
Lungevity 