For some people, cancer can have a big impact on their body. Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy can change the way your body looks, works and feels.
The changes that have happened to your body can be a constant reminder of your cancer diagnosis and treatment. Research shows that 3 out of 4 people who have experienced changes to their body because of the cancer and its treatment feel pressure about how they look and are embarrassed about it at some stage.
Watch our latest video to hear from other people dealing with body changes
On the Macmillan website, we’ve added a short video of people affected by cancer talking about their body image issues after their diagnosis and treatment.
We’ve made this video because we understand how difficult it may be to deal with changes to your body image, and we want to show you that you’re not alone in this.
We understand that you may experience different thoughts and feelings about your body image, such as anger, anxiety and avoidance, which may be difficult to deal with.
In the video, Richard, Peter, Heather and Stacey share their experiences. They talk candidly about their feelings and the process they’ve gone through in dealing with these emotions. They talk about the positive steps they’ve taken to cope with the changes, such as physical activity or talking to support groups.
For example, Heather talks about how taking up running has given her confidence and improved her self-esteem:
We hope that watching this video and listening to the stories of other people affected by cancer will bring you some comfort.
You can also find more information about body image and cancer in our body image booklet.
To see what else Macmillan's cancer information team has been blogging about, please visit our blog home page! You can subscribe to receive our blogs by email or RSS too.
We're with you every step of the way
The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.
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