The short version
- During treatment, if you feel unwell or have signs of infection, call your hospital’s 24-hour acute oncology or chemotherapy helpline first. Your team will give you the number.
- For questions or support about breast cancer, call the Breast Cancer Now helpline, free on 0808 800 6000, answered by breast care nurses and trained staff.1
- In an emergency, call 999.
Urgent help
Call your 24-hour treatment helpline straight away if you're having treatment and you
- have a temperature over 37.5°C or below 36°C, or feel shivery or suddenly unwell2
- have chest pain, difficulty breathing, or bleeding that won’t stop
- have severe sickness, diarrhoea or pain
If you can’t get through, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
Breast cancer and cancer support
| Helpline | Number | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer Now | 0808 800 6000 | Free. Questions about breast cancer, answered by breast care nurses and trained staff. Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm1 |
| Macmillan Support Line | 0808 808 00 00 | Free. Emotional, practical and financial support, including money and work advice. 8am to 8pm, seven days a week3, 4 |
| Cancer Research UK nurses | 0808 800 4040 | Free. Questions about cancer and treatment. Weekdays 9am to 5pm5 |
| Maggie’s | 0300 123 1801 | Support from Maggie’s centres and online6 |
| Penny Brohn UK | 0303 3000 118 | Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm7 |
Specific concerns
| Helpline | Number | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Lymphoedema Support Network | 020 7351 4480 | Information and support about lymphoedema5 |
| Royal Osteoporosis Society | 0300 102 3030 | Specialist nurses for bone health questions8 |
| British Heart Foundation | 0808 802 1234 | Heart health questions. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm9 |
| Drinkline | 0300 123 1110 | Free, confidential help with drinking (England)10 |
| Shine Cancer Support | 07804 479413 | For adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s with cancer11 |
Mental health
- Samaritans: free, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.
- NHS 111: in England, choose the mental health option for urgent mental health help.
- NHS Talking Therapies: refer yourself in England for anxiety and low mood.12
Who to call when
- Feeling unwell during treatment: your 24-hour treatment helpline.
- A new symptom after treatment: your breast care nurse or GP. See follow-up care.
- Questions about your diagnosis or treatment: your breast care nurse, or the Breast Cancer Now helpline.
- Money, work or benefits: the Macmillan Support Line. See financial help.
- Feeling low or anxious: your GP, NHS Talking Therapies, or a charity helpline.
Related pages
References
- Breast Cancer Now. Call our helpline. breastcancernow.org/support-for-you/call-our-helpline
- Macmillan Cancer Support. Chemotherapy (fact sheet, 2022). www.macmillan.org.uk/dfsmedia/1a6f23537f7f4519bb0cf14c45b2a629/7233-10061/mac12464-chemotherapy-final-english-for-web
- Macmillan Cancer Support. Follow-up after breast cancer treatment. www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/breast-cancer/follow-up-after-breast-cancer-treatment
- Macmillan Cancer Support. Welfare rights advice. macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-help/welfare-rights-advice
- Cancer Research UK. Resources and organisations for lymphoedema. cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping/physically/lymphoedema-and-cancer/resources-and-support
- Maggie’s. Fear of cancer returning. www.maggies.org/cancer-support/managing-emotions/fear-cancer-returning/
- Penny Brohn UK. The services we offer. pennybrohn.org.uk/our-approach/services
- Royal Osteoporosis Society. Free osteoporosis helpline. theros.org.uk/information-and-support/free-osteoporosis-helpline/
- Macmillan Cancer Support. Heart health and cancer. www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/heart-health
- Drinkline, the national alcohol helpline (listing by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust). www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/getting-help/community-support-near-you-infolink/drinkline-national-alcohol-helpline
- Cancer Care Map. Shine Cancer Support listing. cancercaremap.org/shine-cancer-support
- NHS. NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression. www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/