Caring for a loved one with cancer can be an extremely profound and meaningful experience. We also know that being a caregiver can bring times of confusion, stress, fear and a host of other experiences.
The CARE lab is led by Elizabeth Bouchard, MA, PhD, Professor of Oncology, Senior Vice President and Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement. We focus on conducting research to understand more about caregiving so that we can develop strategies to reduce suffering and enhance outcomes that matter to caregivers and patients.
CARE Study
When their child is receiving cancer treatment, caregivers must balance family and work commitments with treatment protocols as they adjust to the demands of caring for a sick child. During this time, caregivers often receive support, help and assistance from other people.
The purpose of the CARE Study is to understand who caregivers of pediatric cancer patients turn to for social support and how their support experiences shape caregiver health.
The Principal Investigator for the CARE Study is Dr. Elizabeth Bouchard. For more information, please contact Paula Vincent at 716-845-4954 or email at Paula.Vincent@RoswellPark.org.
Funded by the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health
CAREMeds
Giving medicine to young children is particularly challenging. For many caregivers of newly-diagnosed pediatric cancer patients, administering medicine at home everyday is a source of conflict and stress.
The purpose of the CAREMeds Study is to refine and evaluate a program for caregivers that provides them with support and tools designed to improve the ease of giving medicine to young children.
The Principal Investigator for the CAREMeds Study is Dr. Elizabeth Bouchard. For more information, please contact Paula Vincent at 716-845-4954 or email at Paula.Vincent@RoswellPark.org.
Funded by the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health
MedSupport
Caregivers experience many barriers to giving medicine to their child with cancer. These barriers are more commonly experienced by families with fewer resources and those from underserved communities. Healthcare providers may be unaware of the barriers caregivers face and offer little support to address them.
The purpose of the MedSupport Study is to develop and evaluate a systematic program that screens for medicine barriers, delivers tailored video education, and helps caregivers address these challenges by directly communicating with their child’s healthcare team.
The Principal Investigators for the MedSupport study are Dr. Elizabeth Bouchard and Dr. Kara Kelly. For more information, please contact Paula Vincent at 716-845-4954 or email at Paula.Vincent@RoswellPark.org.
Funded by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation
CAREWell
A cancer diagnosis not only affects the patient, but it also has profound effects on their loved ones. Both patients and their caregivers often experience stress, and their stress levels can affect the other person.
The purpose of the CAREWell Study is to examine the different types of stress (e.g., financial, fear/worry, treatment-related) patients and caregivers experience and psychological and physiological responses to stress among adult cancer patients and their caregivers.
The Principal Investigator is Dr. Elizabeth Bouchard. It is part of a larger inter-disciplinary study to understand more about stress and cancer, led by Dr. Elizabeth Repasky, Dr. Christine Ambrosone, and Dr. Bouchard at Roswell Park. For more information, please contact Susan LaValley at 716-845-1300, ext 4289, or email Susan.LaValley@RoswellPark.org
Funded by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation
Mindfulness Meditation
Over recent decades, research has explored the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of mindfulness. In addition to reducing stress and emotional reactivity, mindfulness promotes focus, memory, and mental flexibility, enhances self-compassion and empathy, increases creativity, and leads to a greater sense of connectedness and well-being.
With funding from a Quality of Life grant from the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, Roswell Park offers a virtual, six-week mindfulness self-care course. Led by Dr. Rashmi Bismark, participants who enroll in the Caring with Awareness course learn a variety of evidence-based mindfulness practices, including as:
- Centering and breath awareness
- Mindfulness of the body
- Mindful eating
- Mindful walking and gentle yoga postures/movement
- Awareness of sounds and hearing
- Mindfulness of thoughts and emotions
- Mindful self-compassion
The Principal Investigator for the mindfulness meditation study is Dr. Elizabeth Bouchard. For more information on participating in this research study, contact Fran Harfouche at 716-845-4887 or email at Frances.Harfouche@RoswellPark.org.