We dont often always notice, but behind someone diagnosed with cancer is usually a close relative or friend. Often we focus on what support can be provided to the cancer patient. The person affected by this awful disease can be fighting for their very life and will need all the support they can get.
but what about the cancer caregiver?
All too often we may forget that the carer will need support for themselves as well. It might not even dawn upon cancer carers as they focus all their efforts on caring for their loved one. It might be a partner caring for their other partner, a young carer supporting their parent. Or even a parent caring for an elderly relative. The caring situations can be long, complex and emotionally trying.
The situation above and many other reasons are why we need to raise awareness for cancer caregivers. It can be so easy to be hidden as a carer and hope for the best. Just because the carer is not suffering the physical and emotional affects of cancer, does not mean they should not be given support.
With Cancer Support Macmillan being the UK’s leading charities fighting against cancer, I help raise awareness of families affected by Cancer. Cancer is not contagious, but anxiety, uncertainty and depression cancer brings will affect those close by.
Not everyone will think of themselves as a carer, they are more than happy to focus all their efforts just so their loved ones see another day. It is so important we stress to someone caring that they do have access to support and this includes their carer’s rights.
No one should have to give care if it makes their quality of life suffer. Those caring for someone might need emotional support. They might even need their caring situation assessed, especially if the carer is unable to work. Some people caring for someone with cancer might actually need time off for work to support the cancer patient. This links to carer’s rights at work.
With the London Cancer carer forum, which I run online for the last Wednesday of the month. I seek to bring cancer carers together to hear experiences and feedback. Caring for someone with cancer is not the same as caring for someone with a broken leg. Sometimes we need to be heard by those who just “Get it!”. Cancer carers will not feel judged or feel as if they let someone down. Caring for someone without being heard or being connected can lead to isolation. Carers can feel they are coping by themselves without an outlet so it is important a group can provide some peer support.
If carer isolation was not the main issue, then there is advocacy and navigating the health and social care system. Not everyone will be skilled on knowing who to ask and what to ask if their caring role changes. Advocacy and health system guidance can be useful when a carer does not know where to turn. It is important carers have a chance to be referred to local support and be assessed on challenges in their role.
Cancer is one of the most difficult and damaging illness to impact friends and families. It could happen to any of us and it is so important we get the knowledge to lessen the impact. Please check out Macmillan’s London Cancer Community Newsletter for August 2024 for more information about Matthew McKenzie’s Cancer carer group and other cancer support initiatives below.
A Caring Mind 