Mental Health and Support Services for Cancer Patients and Families

Thoughts and Feelings: Part of Your Life with Cancer

Whether you or a loved one is facing a new diagnosis of cancer, you'll find yourself having many different thoughts and feelings about:

• Undergoing cancer treatment.
• Living as a cancer survivor.
• Dealing with a recurrence.
• Thinking of palliative or hospice care.

At times, you may feel overwhelmed and at other times surprisingly peaceful.

Almost everyone has times of depression and emotional ups and downs:

• Fear and hope.
• Sadness and joy.
• Anger and gratitude.

You may receive advice on what you should do or how you should feel, but there's no right or wrong way to live with cancer. Each person and family has a unique way of dealing with his or her emotions.

At the Center for Counseling and Cancer Support, our expert psychologists and psychiatrists are here to help you and your family make a plan for meeting the challenges of cancer.

About Our Psychological Resources for Cancer Patients and Their Families

At UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, we want to help you take care of your heart and mind, just as we work with you to treat your illness.

Our resources include:

• Center for Counseling and Cancer Support — a group of mental health experts that helps cancer patients and their loved ones deal with the challenges of living with cancer.
• The Sheila Reicher Fine Collection — books, pamphlets, and CDs to provide comfort, hope, and tools for living with the emotional dimensions of cancer.

To learn more about these services, call 412-623-5888 or explore our resources on living with cancer.