This was a conversation between Mark and Jaime which explored two different experiences of mental health throughout cancer treatment with the shared message to ‘speak up not man up’. Their advice is that your mind is the most powerful thing and it will get you through but you need to look after it. Think about who is supporting you. What are you looking at online? Is social media helping or hindering you. Have aims! Like exercise or a nice event. Talk to others who have been through something similar. And lastly- everyone and every situation is different so do what works for you.  

Read Young Lives vs Cancer’s Hidden Costs Report here 

Join Teenage Cancer Trust’s Not Ok campaign here  

If you’d like to find out more about the Crossfit Move Forward Programme running in Northern Ireland you can read about it on the Young Lives vs Cancer website here and follow them on Instagram @crossfitmoveforward. You can also check out Marks coaching page @mark_adams_coaching 

The Here2Help app aims to provide helplines for users to get support instantly while also providing a wide range of links to reading materials that can help people in their time of need. Download now for free for Android and Apple. Or check out Minding Your Head for services in your area.  

Other Mental Health charities and organisations that provide excellent support are: Aware, Pure Mental NI, Lifeline, Samaritans, PIPS, The Mix UK, Action Mental Health & Mindwise.  

For cancer specific support check out Macmillan, Cancer Focus NI , Action Cancer and Charis for their counselling services.   

If you’d like to get in touch with Young Lives vs Cancer 

If you’d like to get in touch with Cancer Fund For Children 

Thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for funding this podcast as part of our ‘Together we Thrive’ project and enabling us to share these stories.