Coping with brain tumours

Coping with a brain tumour can be difficult. You may find you have a lot of different feelings. There is help and support available. There are things you can do, people who can help and ways to cope with a diagnosis of brain tumour.

Everyone reacts in their own way. Sometimes it's hard to take in the fact that you have cancer at all.

Coping practically

Practical things you and your family might need to cope with include:

• money matters

• financial support, such as benefits, sick pay and grants

• work issues

• childcare

Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse to find out who can help. They can refer you to a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or to a team of doctors and nurses who can help to make you as comfortable as possible (palliative care team). 

Getting help early with these things can mean that they don’t become a big issue later.

Find out about coping practically

Support at home

GP and nursing support

Your GP manages your healthcare when you are at home. Your specialist doctor will update your GP about your cancer care. Your GP can help with any medical problems that come up. They can also make referrals to a community service for you. The availability of the different community services may vary depending on where you live.

Community or district nurse

These nurses work in different places in your local area and may visit you in your home. They can:

• give medicines or injections

• check temperature, blood pressure and breathing

• clean and dress wounds

• monitor or set up drips

• give emotional support

• teach basic caring skills to family members where needed

• get special equipment such as hospital beds, special mattresses, commodes or bed pans

Community services vary from area to area. Your hospital specialist nurse can tell you what is locally available to you.

Community specialist palliative care nurse

Community specialist palliative care nurses include Macmillan nurses and hospice nurses. They specialise in symptom management such as pain control, sickness, and other cancer symptoms. They also give emotional support to you and your carers.

Marie Curie nurses

Marie Curie nurses give nursing care to people with advanced cancer in their own homes. They can visit during the day or spend the night in your home to give your carers a break.

Read more about Marie Curie nurses

Social workers

Social workers can help to support you with your situation at home. They can arrange:

• home helps to help with shopping or housework

• home care assistants for washing and dressing

• meals on wheels

• respite care

Your social worker can also help with money matters by checking you get all the benefits you are entitled to. Or they can advise you about charity grants for things like extra heating costs or special diets.

Contact a social worker yourself by getting in touch with your local social services office. Or ask your hospital nurse or your GP to refer you.

Local support services

There is usually other help available but services can vary from place to place.

Sometimes local voluntary groups offer sitting services. Someone comes to stay with you while your relative goes out.

Good neighbour schemes offer befriending or practical help with shopping or transport.

Local cancer support groups often offer practical help. And they are a good source of information about services in your area. Ask your doctor or nurse about local groups.