How Cancer Support Groups Aid in Healing Patients?
Cancer support groups are helping patients suffering from cancer in coping with their condition. Learn more about their role, types, benefits, and limitations.
Written by Dr Sonia Bhatt
Last updated on 11th Mar, 2025
Cancer affects millions of people globally, leading to emotional, psychological, and physiological challenges. From diagnosis of the condition to dealing with the treatment procedure, patients go through a lot of struggles, making them feel isolated and anxious. Emotional support and care can help these patients or survivors return to normal life. Cancer support groups play a crucial role in this regard.
Keep reading to learn its meaning, types, function, pros, and cons.
What are Cancer Support Groups?
As the name suggests, cancer support groups are group meeting sessions for cancer patients. In these groups, cancer patients meet individuals with similar experiences, can share their thoughts and feelings, and get mental support for the journey ahead.
Though family and friends are always there to support cancer fighters, support groups can educate them about the disease and treatment in a better way.
Different Types of Support Groups
Cancer support groups are of the following three categories:
In-person Support Groups: This group is held at places where individuals can meet or gather. It can be places like community centres, schools, hospitals, etc. Some groups may ask the participants to sign up, while others allow members to join the group at their convenience.
Telephone Support Groups: This support group is more like a conference call between cancer patients and the counsellor. In this group, individuals can share their cancer journey over a phone call.
Online Support Groups: These support groups are run virtually where the patients can meet each other through online platforms like chat rooms, webinars, listservs, social media, etc. Online groups are the most popular due to their convenience. One can join these groups from the comfort of home without the need to travel far away.
Benefits of Joining a Cancer Support Group
Some benefits of joining a cancer support group are discussed below:
Emotional and Mental Health Support: Gathering cancer patients together to support each other helps boost them mentally. Fighting cancer is both challenging and painful. Many patients go through emotional and mental breakdowns. Grouping with individuals facing similar challenges can help support them mentally.
Sharing Experiences and Coping Strategies: When cancer patients group together, they share personal experiences and strategies to cope with the situation with others and inspire others to deal with the challenges without losing hope.
Access to Information and Resources: Trained counsellors or healthcare professionals conduct support groups. Participants can interact with these professionals to learn about the disease, treatment adherence, and more.
How Can Support Groups Aid in Physical Healing?
Here’s how cancer support groups can help heal a patient physically:
1.Stress Reduction and Immune Function
Individuals fighting cancer often lose hope and develop stress and depression, leading to physical symptoms like fatigue, headache, etc. Considering the weakness caused by cancer, additional physical hazards can be dangerous for an individual.
Meeting in support groups allows them to interact socially, participate in conversation, etc., which helps manage stress and improve the functioning of one’s immunity.
2.Improved Treatment Adherence
It takes a lot of courage to continue cancer treatment. At some point, patients may feel like discontinuing due to the pain and physical weakness from therapies. These support groups are of immense support during this time.
They encourage the participants to continue the therapy and support them after survival. The transition of a cancer survivor to normal life is not that easy, but support groups, with their positive approach and inspiring stories, can make it possible.
The Role of Online Support Groups
Online cancer support groups can reach patients from various parts of the country at the same time. This helps to interact with many people on the same journey.
Participants with similar conditions can share their interests, which can be informative and supportive of others. Through these groups, cancer fighters find a company to learn more about their condition and the ways to deal with it.
However, certain risks in online support groups need to be checked. One must check for the privacy and authorisation of the group while joining. The easy internet access these days can lead to security breaches. So, it is essential to check the credibility of online groups before joining them.
Finding the Right Support Group
Cancer support groups are run by various hospitals, community groups, cancer centres, schools, etc. Here’s how one can find the right one as per requirements:
Individuals dealing with cancer can contact their healthcare team to find out if their hospital or cancer centre runs any support group
One can consult with other patients who have been a part of support groups
Hospitals and healthcare providers can also help cancer patients find support groups
In the case of specific cancer types, one can find specialised organisations or advocacy groups offering support and resources.
Individuals can conduct online research for support groups in that area or check the official database for organisations offering cancer support.
Challenges and Limitations of Support Groups
Despite its multiple benefits, cancer support groups may have some drawbacks, which are as follows:
Some participants may indulge in interpersonal conflicts, creating group tension and emotional entanglement
Comparison with other patients
Some support group discussions lack privacy, which can affect the participant's mental health
If not run by professional counsellors, participants may get misguidance due to inappropriate medical advice
Some group members can be disruptive
Professional Involvement in Support Groups
The role of a professional counsellor is crucial in running an effective cancer support group. There are different types of counsellors, such as oncology social workers, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, pastoral counsellors, and licensed counsellors.
Individuals should look for a counsellor depending on their needs. They can seek assistance from their cancer care team in selecting the right counsellor. Choosing a counsellor with experience in working with cancer patients is a plus as they understand the needs of such patients better.
Here are the few things that one should consider before selecting a counsellor:
Check if their fees fit in the individual’s budget
If the individual feels safe to share their concerns with the counsellor
One should feel heard and understood by the counsellor
The individual should have trust that the counsellor can help them
Conclusion
Cancer support groups serve as invaluable resources for emotional healing. They help in community connection, sharing experiences, practical advice, and improving coping strategies. The collective strength within these groups can significantly enhance the quality of life for cancer patients.
Consult Top Oncologists
Consult Top Oncologists
Dr. Tarun Jindal
Uro Oncologist
14 Years • MS (AIIMS, New Delhi), MCh (Gold Medalist), Fellow, VUI, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, USA; Robotic and Laparoscopic surgeon
Kolkata
Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals , Kolkata, Kolkata
(100+ Patients)
Dr. Sandeep Muzumder
Radiation Specialist Oncologist
21 Years • MBBS (JIPMER, Pondicherry), MD (AIIMS, New Delhi)
Bhubaneswar
Apollo Hospitals Old Sainik School Road, Bhubaneswar
Dr. Ganesh Chandra Subudhi
Medical Oncologist
16 Years • MBBS, MD- General Medicine. DrNB- Medical Oncology (DNSH, Delhi ). Consultant - Medical Oncology at Apollo Cancer Centre, Bhubaneshwar.
Bhubaneswar
Apollo Hospitals Old Sainik School Road, Bhubaneswar
Dr Nikhil Suresh Ghadyalpatil
Oncologist
18 Years • MBBS, MD (G. Med), DNB (G.Med), MNAMS DM (Medical Oncology - Tata Memorial Hospital) European Certification In Medical Oncology (ECMO) MRCP (Med Onco SCE), PDCR
Hyderabad
Apollo Hospitals Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Dr. Gopal Kumar
Head, Neck and Thyroid Cancer Surgeon
15 Years • MBBS, MS , FARHNS ( Seoul, South Korea ), FGOLF ( MSKCC, New York )
Delhi
Apollo Hospitals Indraprastha, Delhi
(25+ Patients)
