The Irish Cancer Society's counselling service was accessed by over 1,000 people last year.

According to a new report from the Society, a total of 5,348 counselling sessions were required by cancer patients and their families nationwide last year, an increase of 15 per cent on 2012.

There was also a 40 per cent rise in the number of counselling sessions taken up by those affected by cancer compared to the previous year.

The report focuses on the Irish Cancer Society's affiliation programme, which granted funds to 21 affiliated community-based cancer support services across the country to provide professional counselling in 2013. In total,

The Society gave €289,000 in grants to affiliated support centres last year.

Cancer patients and their families as well as those bereaved by cancer used the service, with service figures highlighting the need for emotional support after a cancer diagnosis, according to the Society.

Forty per cent of clients attended counselling within one year of hearing they had cancer and another 23 per cent came within two years of a diagnosis.

Fifty nine per cent of clients in 2013 were people who had been diagnosed with cancer themselves and twenty six per cent were family members of a person who had been diagnosed, indicating the wider effect of a cancer diagnosis.
In 2013, 13 per cent of those attending for counselling identified themselves as a partner or spouse of a person with cancer.

According to the Society, the majority of clients (40%) presented with anxiety as a result of cancer with a further 10 per cent looked for support with adjusting to their life after diagnosis.

A number of clients (14 per cent) were bereaved due to cancer and were seeking bereavement support

According to Dorothy Thomas, Support Services Co-ordinator at the Irish Cancer Society: "The emotional effects of a cancer diagnosis can have a huge impact on the patient and their family. The non-physical side effects of the illness are something that can often be overlooked but it is important that support is available whether it is needed immediately following a diagnosis or in the months or years after."