Grief for people with lived experience

Grief can be understood as a natural and deeply human response to significant loss. When we experience cancer, grief can take many forms and may arise in response to the many changes and losses that can accompany the illness, whether temporary or lasting. These may include changes to our body and physical abilities, independence, identity, relationships, work, routines, sense of safety, or hopes and plans for the future. Grief can also emerge in response to the uncertainty that cancer can bring, or to the loss of a sense of who we were before the illness. It may involve sadness, anger, fear, guilt, relief, numbness, longing, or even moments of joy. These experiences can affect the way we think, sleep, relate to others, and move through our everyday lives, and they may come and go in unexpected ways.

Because these losses are deeply personal, there is no general roadmap for grieving what cancer has changed or taken away. Grief is not something we simply “get over”; rather, over time, we may find ways of acknowledging what has been lost while also making space for what remains, what has changed, and what may still be possible. Sometimes this may mean allowing ourselves to be close to difficult emotions and acknowledging the impact of what we have been through. At other times, it may mean stepping away from the pain and making space for rest, connection, pleasure, or moments of normality. Both can be meaningful parts of the grieving process.

While there is no single way through grief, having access to information, connection, and support can make these experiences feel a little less lonely. This toolkit brings together a range of resources — including books, films, podcasts, websites, and support groups — that may offer understanding, comfort, companionship, or simply the reassurance that others have experienced similar challenges. We invite you to explore these resources at your own pace and to take from them whatever feels meaningful and supportive for you at this point in your journey. You do not have to navigate these losses alone.