While many are familiar with the physical care that cancer patients receive, the emotional aspect of the disease can also take its toll.

Phillipa Lacey-Bohannon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 at the age of 36.

Her physical treatments included a partial mastectomy with lymph node removal, 20 weeks of chemotherapy and four weeks of radiation therapy, among other things.

However, it wasn’t until she linked up with ARC Cancer Support Services that she realised the mental and emotional toll of her experience.

“Unfortunately, after treatment, as I call it, the ‘free dinner brigade’ disappeared,” she told Lunchtime Live.

“So, a lot of the support that I had in place while going through the physical aspects of dealing with cancer and the treatments, I then afterwards, I suppose I was a bit of PTSD.

“A close family friend who actually still volunteers in ARC to this day recommended that I pop in and see them, and I did think about it.

“But I also at the time was very much, ‘I’ve done it, it’s behind me, I’m one of the lucky ones, why am I moaning, why am I complaining?’”

Cancer Patient having central line port prepared for Chemotherapy. Image: JPagetRMphotos / Alamy. 3 February 2012

However, Ms Lacey-Bohannon said she “realised one day in a shopping centre when I burst into tears” that she needed “a bit of support”.

Within a week she was set up with a free counselling appointment.

All supports offered by ARC are free and it’s not just the cancer patient themselves who can avail of their services.

Supports for children

Ms Lacey-Bohannon's daughter Molly, who was six at the time, attended a support group known as the CLIMB programme.

“It’s a six-week course with loads of fun exercises and art techniques,” Molly said.

“You’re in a room surrounded by loads of other kids with the same difficulties as you, so it’s great to see and like, I’m no longer afraid.”

According to Molly, it was “good to see other mams who were bald like mine”.

Loving little daughter embrace sick mom. Image: Aleksandr Davydov / Alamy. 22 June 2020

Ms Lacey-Bohannon said the skills Molly learnt through the programme have stuck with her to this day.

“Unfortunately, my own father, Molly’s grandad, was going through secondary cancer, and Molly has just no fear,” she said.

“She’s herself that the skills that she developed from ARC and the programmes that she has done and dealing with diagnosis has really helped her have no fear and to understand it is just a disease.”

Ms Lacey-Bohannon said that despite a setback in 2018, she is feeling well at the moment and she would “put all that down to ARC”.

Main image: Phillipa Lacey Bohannon (L), Andrea Gilligan (Centre) and Phillipa's daughter daughter Molly (R) in the Newstalk studio.