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“Made me feel I had more resources to cope with cancer diagnosis and treatment.”

Service User

Mindfulness

Finding inner strength and calm

What can mindfulness help with?

Feeling anxious and stressed are natural reactions to a diagnosis of cancer. Mindfulness has been shown to offer support for those with living with cancer, its symptoms and the side effects of its treatment, things like:

Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, Stress*

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment, focusing your attention on now rather than the past or future , to help you to reach a more peaceful, quieter state of mind.

Patients report benefits such as greater positivity, feeling they can cope better, have more control over their lives, personal growth and a better quality of life.

People with cancer who have practised mindfulness have found it has improved quality of life and to help cope with the symptoms of cancer and its treatments such as fatigue, nausea, anxiety, depression and stress.

What do we offer

Our 8-week mindfulness course is specifically for people who are not currently undergoing active treatment. We want you to be able to give your attention to the course, and you may not be able to do this while having treatment. 

What can I expect?

Before starting or committing to the course, you are able to attend a taster session and a short one-to-one with the tutor.

The course itself normally takes place in a room or via a video conference link, with up to 8 participants.  You don’t need any special clothes, just wear something comfortable.

Each session builds on the experience of the week before, and introduces you to mindfulness practices and techniques designed to help you cope in different situations.

You will also learn mindful movement, which involves focusing on your breathing while conducting simple movements.

The course is entirely secular and suitable for all.

How long does it take?

The course lasts 8 weeks, whether online or in-person, with online sessions lasting 1,5 hours and in-person sessions 2 hours.

How  much does it cost?

The course is free for participants. It would usually cost £200, plus £25 for course materials, which are an invaluable part of the course, and enables you to continue practising at home after completing the course.

I’m concerned about…

Side effects are rare with mindfulness, so this is usually safe to use alongside or after you’ve completed cancer treatment.

As with all of our treatments, you can stop at any time if you feel uncomfortable or concerned. It’s your time, to be experienced your way. 

Our therapists

All of our mindfulness teachers are qualified in mindfulness, and have had additional training in the cancer patient pathway. All of our therapists have satisfied the rigorous checking process required to be a volunteer within an NHS hospital.  

They are fully insured and give their time for free. Donations are used to cover essential items such as Books and equipment, continuing professional development of our volunteers and to pay our essential part-time staff.

*Please note, this is based on anecdotal feedback, and is not a promise that the therapy will give these benefits every time. 

My Cancer My Choices offers free complementary therapies for individuals living with cancer in Berkshire,
supported by donations to sustain our vital services.