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Peer support

You can get peer support either in a small group or on one to one basis. You can get peer support either face to face or online.

Peer support

Peer support often makes things easier for patients and their loved ones. The Cancer Society’s trained volunteers provide peer support for cancer patients and their loved ones throughout the country. Peer support occupies an important place alongside the work of professionals.

Sometimes a person who has gone through the same situation knows best how to support someone living with cancer and to help him or her cope with everyday life. The Cancer Society’s trained volunteers provide peer support for cancer patients and their loved ones. The Cancer Society has a network of hundreds of support persons. They include people with cancer, the relatives and friends of cancer patients, and active volunteers.

The regional cancer societies and patients’ organisations belonging to the Cancer Society are responsible for peer support activities. The associations organise meetings, courses and support groups for patients and their loved ones. Most of the peer support activities are in Finnish. Some organisations also provide services in Swedish and in English. You can find more information about peer support from the various organisations’ websites.

Regional cancer societies and national patients’ organisations

Peer support persons and peer support groups

The aim of peer support is to assist people with cancer and their loved ones. Peer support helps patients find the strength and means to live with cancer.

The Cancer Society’s peer support persons are people who have either themselves had cancer or who have loved ones with the disease. Peer support persons are given training in their tasks.

You can meet with a peer support person either on a one-to-one basis or in a small group. Meetings can be arranged on the cancer association’s premises or at your hospital, for instance. You can also be in touch with the peer support person by phone or online.

Patient networks on Facebook

Suomen Syöpäpotilaat

The Association of Cancer Patients in Finland maintains network groups on Facebook.

The patient networks allow you to encounter others, who suffer from the same cancer. In the patient network, you can share illness-related issues with peers. The patient networks mainly operate in Finnish except for the Facebook group Cancer Patients in Finland.