THE IRISH CANCER Society is to fund remote counselling during the coronavirus pandemic.

The service is available to adults and children who are affected by cancer who cannot access counselling services due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The organisation is working with community cancer support centres to deliver this service, drawing on the skills of counsellors who provide this service in communities across the country.

Donal Buggy, Head of Services with the Irish Cancer Society, said counselling is “an important tool for all cancer patients and their loved ones as they live with and beyond cancer”.

“With many people now unable to access their usual counselling supports we have developed this new model to ensure people can get help as they need it,” he added. 

Adults and children 

The service is available to all people who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as their carers and loved ones.

It is also available for children through a play-therapy model, and for teenagers using appropriately trained and vetted practitioners.

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Anyone who feels they need counselling can contact the Cancer Nurseline on freephone 1800 200 700 or by emailing cancernurseline@irishcancer.ie.

If the service is suitable for their needs, they will be linked in with an accredited, experienced counsellor.

The helpline’s hours have been extended to 9am to 8pm on Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm on Friday to Sunday.

“We understand that this is an especially worrying time for those affected by cancer and their families. Our Cancer Nurseline is also available to provide support, information and advice to people at this time,” Buggy said.