Hi Julie.L and thanks for posting

I am sorry to hear your son had cancer at such a young age and has ben left with some health issue as a result of the treatment he had.

Unfortunately I think there are long waits to receive NHS counselling and other talking therapies such as CBT ( Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), with many people waiting a number of years in some cases. 

You son can search up therapists on the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy or the UK council for psychotherapy.

If your son is struggling with anxiety then he may benefit from contacting AnxietyUK who have a helpline or MIND to help manage some of these thoughts and feelings. Whilst he is in the process of arranging a course of counselling.

Whilst Maggie's is a charity offering support to patients and loved one's who are going or have gone through cancer they may also be able to help your son as a cancer survivor. It may be worth contacting them to ask if there is something they can offer him.

Whilst we are nurses on here and not counsellors you may find it helpful to talk things through with us on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

I hope your son is able to get the support he needs at this time.

All the best to you both

Naomi

Hi Julie,

Has your son been seen by his GP and if so, what has the GP said? If his GP decides to investigate this further, s/he should be able to set your son's mind at rest.

I had 2 bouts of breast cancer, within a year of each other. This was not long after losing my mum to secondary breast cancer. As a result of my experience with mum, I found that I constantly worried about recurrence, no matter how hard I tried not to. I made an appointment to see a counsellor at my local Maggie's centre and this was very helpful. After that, I also visited the centre for a cuppa and a chat with others, who had also experienced cancer first hand.

Speaking to those, who also had a true understanding of my fears, gave me better perspective and grounding. I am now 14 years down the line and would highly recommend that your son tries one of these centres. Their service was free of charge and there was no long waiting list.

I sincerely hope that your son can benefit from counselling. Please keep in touch and let us know how he gets on. We are always here for both of you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine. Thanks for reaching out. I will definitely tell him to try Maggie's. The one at Charing cross is quite near him I think. Also glad to hear that you are now doing well 13 years later. 

Hi Julie,

If he has one nearby, it's definitely worth giving Maggie's a try.

Here's hoping that this helps him. Please let us know.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx