Carers and friends
If you have a relative, friend or partner with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (which is also known as NHL), then you’ve come to the right place.
Our Lymphoma Life non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma support programme contains a collection of information and advice about NHL and its treatment, so it’s a good place to start learning more about the condition and how you can help the person you know who has the disease.
At Lymphoma Life, we believe that finding out about non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and its treatment will help people with NHL cope with the disease by making them aware of what they can expect and how they can help themselves.
Most of Lymphoma Life is written from a patient’s point of view, but all the information that we cover can be just as valuable for you as a carer or friend, so please look through the other sections of our website and supporting materials as well as this one.
I know someone with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and I’d like to find out more about the disease
If a friend, relative or someone you care about has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) it’s often difficult to know what to expect or how you can support them.
Just being there for them and making the time to listen and offer practical and emotional support whenever it’s needed is a good start.
At Lymphoma Life you can begin to learn about what your relative, friend or partner will be facing at different stages of the disease, as well as what they could be doing to help themselves.
This kind of knowledge can help you begin thinking about what you can do to support them, both practically and emotionally.
So, Lymphoma Life is an information resource for when you need to start learning about different aspects of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and will always be here in case you ever need reminding of something.
It’s also important to remember that there is lots of help available for people with NHL and their carers, and their non-Hodgkin's lymphoma healthcare team and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma local support groups are valuable sources of information and advice.
Which part of Lymphoma Life should I look at?
The information that is most appropriate for you is very specific to the type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) your friend, relative or partner has, as well as what stage of disease they are at.
The two main types of NHL are indolent (slow growing, low-grade) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and aggressive (fast growing, intermediate- and high-grade) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To get the most out of Lymphoma Life you need to know which type of NHL your friend or relative has. Either they, or a member of their healthcare team, will probably be able to tell you.
Not sure? Take our test to find out what type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma they have.
What do I do next if I’m caring for someone with NHL?
If you’re caring for someone with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), learning about the disease and its management is a good first step to help you understand what your partner, relative or friend is going through, and will help you be as useful as possible to them.
However, this can be daunting when there is so much to think about, and you may feel like you are facing a double burden.
Not only are you dealing with the practical aspects of caring for someone who is going through a difficult and potentially frightening experience, you also have to be strong when you may be feeling helpless and emotionally drained yourself.
This is why it’s important to remember that you are not alone.
Use Lymphoma Life to find out more about caring for a patient with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and about the importance of self-care and sources of support.
Keep in mind that Lymphoma Life will always be here as an information resource, so you don’t have to worry about remembering everything at once.
Caring for someone with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Things to think about if you’re caring for someone with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Carers are not alone
Support and the importance of self-care if you’re caring for someone with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.