“Even when it felt like everything was spiralling out of control, the counselling service gave me strength and confidence.”

– Carina Nicholson, 54

Whether you are directly or indirectly affected by cancer, Cancer Council SA’s support services can assist at any stage of your journey.

Across the last financial year, Cancer Council SA delivered over 1,000 counselling sessions, and more than 2,600 social worker appointments to South Australians impacted by cancer.

These services provide much needed support to those who may not be able to afford it, or know who to turn to just like Carina.

Carina never worried much about regular health checks. Life was busy for this single mum to three girls, with a career she loved - teaching at Berri Regional Secondary College.

Fortunately, an uncanny reminder sent Carina off for a breast check.

Hearing she had breast cancer at age 48 was the shock of her life. She was the strong one, the person who had to make everything work on her own. She was everything to her three daughters. So she hid her diagnosis, and her fear, from everyone.

Carina says she will never forget the moment she knew she needed emotional help.

When she couldn’t keep the secret any longer, Carina reached out to Cancer Council SA’s counsellors to help her tell her daughters and her parents about her diagnosis.

From that day on, Cancer Council SA’s counselling service has helped Carina cope with even the darkest of times.

“As a single mother, being diagnosed with cancer was an extremely lonely and terrifying experience. I didn’t have a partner to lean on.

Counselling gave me the comfort and support I needed, helping me stay strong for my children.” – Carina shared.

While looking after everyone else, there was no space for Carina to grieve and to understand her own feelings. There was no one to sit with her in her pain, to share her fear. Her family didn’t know how to cope themselves and support Carina, either.

Counselling gave Carina the comfort she needed, and she discovered ways to support her own needs, and help her family too. As a regional South Australian, Carina was able to have her counselling sessions over the phone.

After advice from a counsellor, Carina made sure her children came and watched her having chemotherapy, to ‘normalise’ the experience. She felt more confident talking to her parents, and was connected with support groups. Her youngest daughter was able to attend Camp Quality and spend time with other kids who had a parent with cancer.

One year later, her results were clear.

Carina was feeling great. She had trust in the people who had treated her, love for her family, and kept working through it all.

But then two years ago, everything changed again for Carina.

Carina was now diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.

Carina and her family were back to square one. Radiotherapy. Chemotherapy. Surgery to put a steel rod in her leg. The kids were older, now in their 20s, but the impact has been even more severe.

“Counselling helped me understand the language in the paperwork, provided examples of what other people have done, and supported me with my decisions. I could not have managed without Cancer Council SA’s counsellors and social workers.”

With incurable cancer, Carina knows that her girls will likely require more counselling sessions in the future.

Don't let Carina and families like hers face cancer alone. Every dollar you donate allows us to continue to provide support to South Australians to help reduce the stress of cancer diagnosis, treatment and life after cancer.

Your gift today means people like Carina and her family never have to go through cancer alone.