Life after Cancer (LaC) has been awarded nearly £200,000 in National Lottery funding over three years to support 3,752 individuals who have completed cancer treatment
Waltham Forest-based not-for-profit Life after Cancer (LaC) has been awarded nearly £200,000 in National Lottery funding over three years to support 3,752 individuals who have completed cancer treatment.
This funding support will enable LaC to deliver 216 peer support groups, 36 wellbeing walking groups, and 30 community coaching programmes, available both online and in Walthamstow.
LaC’s support, led by coaches with personal cancer experience, is designed to reduce isolation and enhance the physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing of individuals.
It addresses post-cancer concerns such as self-care, confidence building, fear of recurrence, identity, and coping with changes in relationships. By tackling these issues early, the support helps individuals realise their potential after cancer. LaC says 98% of its community users report feeling less isolated, more connected, and have improved mental wellbeing.
Steph Davies, founder of Life after Cancer, says: “We’re thrilled and grateful that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised this need and our work. Thanks to National Lottery players, we can continue working towards LaC’s mission of creating a world where people who have had cancer feel less isolated and can better manage their mental wellbeing. Our goal is for everyone to know there is a free, safe, and non-judgmental space available for anyone who has experienced cancer.”
This story is published by Waltham Forest Echo, Waltham Forest's free monthly newspaper and free news website. We are a not-for-profit publication, published by a small social enterprise. We have no rich backers and rely on the support of our readers. Donate or become a supporter.
Cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled over the past 50 years, with half of those diagnosed in England and Wales now surviving for ten years or more.
However, the improved survival rates come as cancer patients face long-term vulnerabilities, including increased anxiety. Over 70% do not receive effective mental health treatment. Source. Studies show that individuals who have had cancer are 27% more likely to experience anxiety compared to the general population, with this rate rising to 50% ten years or more after diagnosis. This growing need for support is why Steph Davies, who has personally faced the challenges of life after cancer, set up LaC.
Founder Steph Davies says: “At the heart of LaC, is my own cancer experience. I quickly realised that the impact of cancer doesn’t end with treatment. Conversations about cancer fade, support dwindles, and there’s an assumption that everything will simply return to normal once treatment is over.”
If you have completed cancer treatment and would benefit from support, you can find Life after Cancer’s events here
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