What to say and not say when someone tells you they have cancer Supporting someone with cancer begins with active listening says Cancer Councils head of cancer information and support services Meg Chiswell.

What to say to someone who got diagnosed with cancer. Dont know what to say. Try not to say that everything will be fine or encourage them to be positive. Im here for you.

Sometimes a simple Im sorry you have to go through this was all that was needed. Youre on my mind and in my heart. They might want to talk about things you find hard to hear.

As the champions of letter-writing in the cancer community they know firsthand just how valuable a thoughtful note can be. To help you craft the perfect message for the cancer patient in your life we spoke to Alison and Brian of From Me to You. A letter-writing charity doing fantastic work for cancer patients and their families.

Feel free to add in a prayer for someone with cancer quotes or inspirational messages too. Learning how to listen involves concentrating on both verbal and non-verbal cues without judgement and interrupting she said. Are you thinking about them.

The way you write to someone who has just been diagnosed at an early primary stage is quite different from how you should write to someone who has metastatic cancer and different again from someone who is definitely terminal. Offer emotional support. Im thinking of you.

Everybody is different but someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer will probably be feeling very lonely. Its imperative that you show that you are there to support and help in any way you can. Here are five things you can say to someone newly diagnosed with cancer.