We offer a space where people feel valued and supported. Where they can speak their minds and release emotions, maybe re-evaluate life, and process complicated emotions.
Our history
A registered charity, Cancer Information and Support Services (CISS) was set up in 1993 to offer emotional support and accurate, up-to- date information for cancer patients and carers in West Glamorgan.
The following year we opened our first cancer information centre in Swansea and over the course of our first three years, CISS supported over twice the number of individuals that we had predicted.
Our services were in demand and so we were awarded Lottery funding which enabled us to open our second centre in Neath in 2004. Another Lottery grant in 2010 also allowed us to expand our outreach services into Carmarthenshire, where no such support existed.
CISS today
Today, we offer free support across South West Wales, from Bridgend in the east to Swansea in the west.
We have 14 qualified staff and over 80 volunteers, most of whom have experience in counselling as well as backgrounds in health care. Leading and supporting CISS are eight experienced Trustees who are responsible for the overall strategy of the organisation.
Since we first opened our doors, we have supported over 150,000 individuals affected by cancer and our team remains committed to supporting individuals affected by the illness, whether they are a patient, carer, family member or friend.
Our aims
We aim to provide an objective, flexible cancer support service, offering emotional support and factual information and we avoid all possible barriers to open discussion.
Who can we help?
CISS offers free support to anyone over eighteen whose life has been affected by cancer in any way – patient, carers, family and friends.
Sometimes people only speak to us on once or twice. Others continue to benefit from support, even when treatment has ended. We recognise that cancer is an illness that can have an impact on our lives long after the initial diagnosis which is why we remain on hand no matter when anxiety or concerns emerge.
Our Swansea information and counselling centre is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
Appointments can also be made to meet with a qualified counsellor at most times suitable for you. For further information, please feel free to contact us.
At CISS, we remain dedicated to providing real help, right now – today and tomorrow.
