Caregiver Support

If spring is best greeted in a garden then I was fortunate to be in Buffalo in the spring, while my husband Roman was receiving his BMT at Roswell Park. We had arrived in mid-March (just as winter was ending) for Roman to be admitted. I was staying at the nearby Kevin Guesthouse.

Cancer patients often experience pain, nausea, emotional distress, and other symptoms caused by the disease and/or the side effects of treatment. Their caregivers may become stressed and overwhelmed, too. When those issues grow beyond basic, expected side effects and are no longer under control, supportive and palliative care can help.

The family and loved ones of someone diagnosed with cancer are often as affected by the illness as the patient. In many ways, caregivers are the unsung heroes of the cancer journey.

Cancer patients with supportive loved ones cope better emotionally than those who don’t have support, according to studies. Yet many patients have trouble asking for or accepting help.
While spending time on the Roswell Park campus, you may have noticed a sea of purple, blue and yellow. These colored garments each represent a specific type of RPCI volunteer and they are all here to lend you a hand!

Caregivers play a vital role in the lives of cancer patients. But when you are busy caring for a loved one with cancer, who’s taking care of you? It’s common for caregivers to neglect their own health when coping with the demands of such an important job.