Cancerwise

CancerWise, an independent, community based cancer support charity based in Chichester, West Sussex. Founded in 1984, have spent the past 42 years supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of individuals both adults and children who are affected by cancer across West Sussex and Southeast Hampshire.
We provide support from the moment of diagnosis, through treatment, bereavement, and beyond. Our services extend to family members, carers, and especially children, recognising the profound emotional toll cancer can have on the whole family unit.
At the heart of CancerWise is a commitment to providing holistic, client led care. Our support services include:
• One-to-one counselling for adults and children,
• Complementary therapies to support physical and emotional wellbeing,
• Gentle exercise classes for those in recovery, and
• Specialist support groups that foster peer connection and shared understanding.
All services are delivered without restriction on the number of sessions, ensuring every client receives the depth and duration of care they need. This personalised approach helps individuals manage fear, anxiety, and depression feelings that are all too common following a diagnosis and enhances the healing process alongside clinical treatment.
CancerWise work closely with Macmillan teams, local hospitals including St Richard’s and Worthing, GPs, schools, and cancer specialist nurses.
We have seen a marked increase in referrals from people under the age of 50, many of whom have young families. In response, we have expanded our services to include 500 hours of free counselling specifically for children and young people aged 4–17 who are affected by cancer either directly or through the illness or loss of a parent or sibling.
Bereavement and serious illness can have lasting emotional consequences for children, often impacting their education, relationships, and long term mental health. Our trained counsellors
work not only with children but also with their schools and teachers to ensure that young people are supported across all aspects of their lives.