With today marking World Cancer Day, RedArc is highlighting that people affected by cancer consistently require more support than those living with other conditions, particularly when navigating post-treatment care.
Over the past five years, the nurse-led support organisation found that people with cancer need 31% more resources (such as written and digital information), and more than twice as many referrals to specialist support organisations and charities, compared with non-cancer cases. This reflects the complexity and breadth of challenges cancer patients and their families face, not only while awaiting or undergoing treatment, but also as they navigate the significant and lasting effects on their lives beyond cancer.
As World Cancer Day approaches on 4 February 2026, RedArc warns that cancer survivors may be left under-served as the main component of post-cancer care, known as a Cancer Survivorship Care Plan, is largely a self-management pathway. RedArc cautions that these plans and other similar documents that place the onus on the individual, risk falling short. In the company’s experience, people with cancer typically require far more support than those recovering from other conditions, due to the significant physical, mental and social impacts of the condition. These needs can often be initially under-estimated by survivors themselves, as well as by their families, friends and employers, leaving many to navigate a difficult post-cancer journey with insufficient support and guidance.
Care Plans alone are not enough
RedArc acknowledges that the concept behind Cancer Survivorship Care Plans is sound: they provide a comprehensive, personalised roadmap outlining what an individual may need in the future, including treatment summaries, follow-up schedules, and guidance on lifestyle, emotional and social recovery. However, RedArc warns that outcomes are likely to be poorer when survivors are expected to follow these plans without ongoing support. On the contrary, with clinical guidance, recovery and adjustment can be achieved more quickly.
The best support is consistent
When someone is newly given the all-clear from cancer, the initial elation can quickly give way to feelings of uncertainty and isolation. The healthcare team that supported them throughout treatment is no longer regularly accessible, and the future – while hopeful – can feel daunting. Having access to consistent, ongoing clinical support that remains in place throughout every stage of the cancer journey provides vital continuity, offering stability and trusted support at a time when many other aspects of life may be shifting dramatically.
Christine Husbands, commercial consultant, RedArc commented: “We’re fortunate in the UK to have a wide range of cancer charities and organisations offering specialist support for people living with or beyond cancer. However, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming. Having clinical guidance and reassurance from someone who knows what individuals are going through and can direct them to the right support at the right time is invaluable and should not be under-estimated.
“Getting life back on track, returning to work and/or normal activities, whatever that looks like for each person, is not always straightforward. Many people need support as they adjust, yet they often find that support suddenly disappears after the all-clear. If we want people to become the best version of themselves after the immense stress of facing cancer, we need to ensure they have consistent, compassionate support as they find their way forward.”
