TRA: Cancer and close relationships

Transformative Research Awards support novel, innovative and interesting research that moves beyond established divisions and dichotomies to enable insight, debate and new approaches to current health challenges.

The impact of a cancer diagnosis on close relationships

When one partner has a diagnosis of cancer the impact on relationships can be extremely challenging.  Yet this aspect of a cancer experience is often overlooked and support to help people is limited. In more than 20% of cases relationships break down. WHY supports more than 500 people each year through their cancer experience and understands the strain on relationships that cancer can bring. Social support networks can flounder, and relationship dynamics change.  WHY would like to understand more about this impact on close relationships, why they break down or change and how the provision of counselling or other therapeutic interventions can support families.

This project will begin in autumn 2019. It was developed from the workshop WHY carried out as part of a Research Initiation Award.

Project leader

We Hear You