How to Get Cancer Support Through Cancer Council Victoria

Updated

Cancer Council Victoria offers free cancer information and support to anyone in Victoria affected by cancer — patients, families, carers, and health professionals. The main entry point is the cancer information and support line at 13 11 20, staffed by qualified professionals. You can also book a call back, email a question, use My Cancer Guide to find local services, or browse the full list of support services on cancervic.org.au.

Contact Options

The site lists three direct ways to reach the support line:

Option How it works
Call 13 11 20 Speak to a qualified professional directly
Book a call back Request a time for the service to call you
Email a question Send your question in writing

All three are presented as available to "all Victorians affected by cancer" — that includes people who are worried about symptoms, people in treatment, survivors, and those supporting someone with cancer.

Finding Local Support: My Cancer Guide

If you're not sure which service fits your situation, My Cancer Guide is the tool to start with. It helps you find the right support service in your local area, based on where you are and what kind of help you need. This is useful when the question isn't "how do I contact someone" but "what kind of support actually exists near me."

Support for Health Professionals

Cancer Council Victoria also runs a separate support stream for health professionals, described as "up-to-date cancer information and services to help you support your patients." If you're a clinician looking for patient-facing resources or referral pathways, this is the relevant section rather than the general support line.

What Else the Site Covers

Beyond support, cancervic.org.au is organised around several areas that may be relevant depending on what you're dealing with:

  • Cancer types — pages on specific cancers, including melanoma (Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates in the world), liver cancer, and lung cancer (around 15,500 Australians diagnosed each year), plus a full list of cancer types.
  • Prevent & detect — screening and early detection information, quitting smoking support, and SunSmart skin cancer prevention.
  • Get involved — fundraising and events such as the Ponytail Project, The Longest Day Golf Challenge, Girls' Night In, and Around the Bay.
  • Donate — one-off donations, regular giving, and gifts in Wills, which fund cancer research.
  • Research — Cancer Council Victoria describes itself as Victoria's largest not-for-profit funder of cancer research, and runs the Victorian Cancer Registry.

Which Option Should You Use?

  • You need to talk to someone now about a cancer question or concern → call 13 11 20.
  • You can't call right now → book a call back or email a question.
  • You want to know what support exists in your area → start with My Cancer Guide.
  • You're a health professional supporting patients → use the health professionals section.
  • You want general information on a specific cancer or on prevention and screening → browse the cancer types and prevent & detect sections.

The site does not state any cost, eligibility restriction, or login requirement for the support line, so treat those details as unconfirmed and ask when you make contact.