Get involved and help Queenslanders living with cancer by volunteering. Volunteers are the heart of our organisation. Join us to make a greater impact and connect with like-minded people.
Every contribution helps support those living with cancer. Whether a one-off donation or monthly gift, your support ensures funding stability for long-term goals and future generations.
Leave a legacy by including a gift in your Will, starting a tribute page for a loved one, or funding a research grant for early-career cancer researchers driving clinical innovations.
Organise a fundraising event in your community, either as a team or an individual. You can join one of our existing fundraising events or you might like to come up with your own way.
When organisations work together, we can have a greater impact for every Queenslander going through cancer and help amplify our message for all Australians.
However you get involved, you’re making a direct impact on the lives of Queenslanders affected by cancer. See the results of what we’ve all achieved.
Feeling sad or depressed during any stage of a cancer diagnosis, for yourself or a loved one, is common. It is a natural response, and it is normal to need time to adjust. In addition, some medications and treatments may affect your mood. If you are experiencing lows or cancer related depression this guide may be a helpful starting point.
Our team is here to listen and support you.
At any stage after a cancer diagnosis, you may experience strong emotions, such as disbelief, fear, anxiety, anger and sadness. These responses are normal, and after a period of adjustment, you can expect them to pass. Support from family, friends, other cancer survivors, or healthcare professionals can be valuable in helping you manage these down periods.
If you have growing or continued feelings of sadness, difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, or a loss of motivation for activities that would normally bring you pleasure, it may be a sign of depression. Depression after a cancer diagnosis, while common, typically does not resolve on its own and requires specific treatment, which you should seek early on. Treating depression early may help you avoid any symptoms becoming worse.
Anxiety and depression in cancer patients and their support networks is quite common, but there is no need to face this experience alone.
Talk to your GP if you:
Some of these symptoms can also be caused by other medical conditions. Talk to your cancer care team or GP and discuss whether counselling or medication, even for a short time, may help.
Life after cancer treatment can present its own challenges. Having continued feelings of uncertainty and depression after cancer following your treatment is common. Cancer survivors may experience sadness or depression following treatment due to worrying about:
We can help you connect with other people who have had cancer and provide you with information about the emotional and practical aspects of living well after cancer. Call us on 13 11 20.
Feelings of sadness or depression may be triggered when you go over and over the same distressing thoughts about the past, present or future. While distracting yourself to avoid intrusive thoughts may work in the short term, it is often not sustainable.
Developing strategies to help you manage your thoughts as you are feeling them may help you when it comes to mental wellbeing. These may include:
Identifying if your thoughts are coming from an underlying belief or perspective can help you understand and rationalise your thoughts. For example, if you say to yourself, “I am a burden to my family and friends”, it might be more difficult to feel supported and understood. Ask yourself if you are jumping to conclusions or exaggerating the negatives. If you feel as if you are, you might want to change that narrative to, “I am loved, supported and not alone”, which may result in a more positive outlook.
If you are experiencing negative thought patterns, imagine someone you love having those same feelings and consider what you would say to them to support them through. Then you might try redirecting that kind advice and empathy to yourself. Using encouraging self-speak does not always come naturally. A counsellor or psychologist can teach you personal techniques to help you be kinder to yourself when you’re having a hard time.
Journalling can help to slow down your thinking and improve your ability to focus when your thoughts are racing. Seeing your thoughts in writing can help you to identify whether what you are feeling and thinking is based on facts, and if it is realistic or helpful. This helps you challenge those thought patterns that might be making you feel sad unnecessarily.
Some days it might be hard to find something positive, but if you find yourself feeling down about life every day, you may need to check whether you are ignoring the little achievements or happy events that are worth celebrating.
Our thoughts are fleeting and often changing, which is why allowing them in is often more beneficial than pushing them away to resurface later. Letting your thoughts come and go without sitting in them for too long is a great tool for your emotional wellbeing. To help you learn how to do this, you could imagine that your thoughts are clouds in the sky or leaves floating down a stream
At times, your appetite may be impacted by cancer treatment, but it’s always helpful to eat a balanced diet, whenever possible. Nutritious, healthy food can help to improve your energy levels, sexuality and sleeping patterns, and in turn support your mental wellbeing. If you find that you don’t feel like eating anything, try a small snack until your appetite returns. Tea, water and low-sugar juices are good choices when it comes to staying hydrated.
Physical activity can help improve your mood, so be active if you can, but be kind to yourself if you can’t do it.
You may find some benefit when managing sadness or depression after a cancer diagnosis, by engaging in complementary therapies that focus on the mind-body connection. These therapies can help reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue, and improve quality of life.
Listen to The Thing About Cancer podcast, episode on Finding Calm During Cancer
You don’t have to face cancer alone. Your GP can refer you to other health professionals who are trained to support you in managing your emotions following a cancer diagnosis. Whether you’d like to speak to a psychologist for support, or anything else, speak to your GP and they will direct you to the best care.
A cancer diagnosis affects not only the person with cancer, but also their family and friends. In both cases, it is common that a cancer diagnosis can trigger a range of emotions including sadness, anxiety and depression in cancer patients.
Experiencing depression or anxiety during any stage of cancer may impact treatment, recovery and quality of life. Treating depression early may mean that you can deal with the problem quickly and avoid symptoms becoming worse.
If you worry that you, or someone you care for, may be depressed, you’ll find a checklist and helpful information by calling 1300 22 4636 or visiting Beyond Blue. For 24-hour crisis support, call Lifeline 13 11 14. You can also talk to your GP or your cancer care team. In an emergency call Triple Zero (000) or go to the emergency department
It is common to feel low or depressed after cancer treatment ends. Cancer survivors often experience worry or periods of feeling down for months or even years after treatment. Support from family and friends, other cancer survivors or health professionals may help you manage these periods.
