Penile Cancer Support

Reactions differ from one person to another and there is no right or wrong way to feel. To some extent, the way that people feel will be affected by their personal circumstances: the nature of their diagnosis, their age, family situation, culture, relationships and  previous life experiences. It’s a unique challenge and everyone in this situation will feel differently.

All or any of these feelings are normal and it doesn’t mean that someone is not coping with their illness.

Some of the feelings people may experience are:

• Feeling detached. This can happen because your mind is protecting you while you process your change in circumstances. You may find that emotional numbness continues as you progress with your treatment. Whilst initially, feelings of detachment may be helpful, you may start to feel isolated. If emotional numbness persists, you may want some help to rebalance your feelings.
• Anger is a natural part of grieving. Try to be aware of your anger so that it doesn’t overwhelm you. Talk about your feelings with a close friend or loved one, or with one of our Orchid support professionals.
• Sadness is common. It’s OK to feel sad and to ask questions like “Why me?” Create a support team with your close friends and family. If you don’t want to tell loved ones, you can lean on us.

Whether at the point of diagnosis, after treatment, or because of recurring disease, being able to explore your concerns with a professional counsellor can help. Professional counsellors will understand your situation, are trained to help and have the advantage of not being part of your family or friendship group. You might find you can be more honest about your feelings and process your thoughts more freely. It might be a relief to both you and your family to know that you are getting additional support.

Penile cancer involves a team of different specialists and these teams are called supra networks. Supra networks will have a team of specialist counsellors who can help you to talk about your concerns. It is always a good idea to ask your specialist team if this is available.

Partners, family members and friends often experience similar feelings and will need support and guidance too.

You should let your family know of any planned treatment and how it may affect you in the coming weeks or months. Although it may be hard to share this type of information, society is more open these days and your loved ones will want to help and support you.

Often when people are first diagnosed with a major illness like cancer, the news is overwhelming and it’s hard to ask the right questions about treatment. Do read through our pages on different penile cancer treatments and consult other websites from organisations like the NHS and other cancer charities. When visiting hospital, bring a close friend or loved one for emotional support who can note down information for you and help you ask questions about your treatment.