Cancer can have major physical and emotional effects on patients, making a person feel anxious, sad, angry, or worried as it impacts many different aspects of their life. With these physical, mental, and emotional burdens of this disease, cancer patients need someone who can help them cope.¹

Caring for cancer patients is an important job as it plays a crucial role in their recovery.² In most cases throughout the journey, the primary person who supports a cancer patient’s physical and emotional well-being is their parent, spouse, partner, or adult child.¹

Roles of Cancer Caregivers

Caregivers are home health aides or companions who can help patients accomplish daily activities such as housekeeping, preparing meals, bathing, and dressing.¹ They can also be financial managers, legal assistants, and medical advocates who handle insurance issues and arrange schedules and doctor’s office visits.¹ Furthermore, family caregivers also take over the duties of the person diagnosed with cancer.¹

Navigating the Cancer Journey with a Loved One

Giving care and support to a cancer patient can be challenging and requires patience and understanding.²

Here are some tips on how to support cancer patients in navigating the cancer journey:

1.     Acknowledge Their Feelings

There will be days when your loved one may feel sad, hopeless, or angry, which can lead to ‘bad days’.² When this happens, it is better to acknowledge it, tell them that you are there for them to help, to support, and to care for them. Prepare to give them space if needed, and to sincerely listen instead of dismissing their feelings and telling them how to feel, what to think, and how to behave.² Likewise, be there to experience the positive moments and reinforce good feelings when possible, to make them feel that they truly are not alone.

2.     Educate Yourself and Stay Informed

Learning more about your loved one’s medical situation, including the type and the stage of their cancer², can enable you to understand the steps after cancer diagnosis, the treatment options available for them, what to expect during treatment, and the possible side effects.³

Staying informed with your loved one’s cancer treatment allows you to be a strong advocate for

them.⁴ You must keep track of what the doctor discusses during your visit, and formulate and ask

questions.⁴ Educate yourself about the doctor’s proposed treatment plan.⁴ As a family member and caregiver, you have the option to consider getting a second opinion about these plans.⁴

3.     Know Your Limitations and Take Care of Yourself

Caregivers can provide support to cancer patients, but there may be struggles to balance caregiver duties and personal responsibilities.²

When tending for loved ones with cancer, know your limits – do not take on more than your body can handle.² You can also discuss with your cancer patient’s physician to determine whether or not professional nursing services are needed.²

As a caregiver, it is imperative to take care of yourself so you are able to give the best care to the cancer patient as well. You can find the strength to continue tending to your loved one when you give time to yourself and allow yourself to meet your own needs.³

4.     Find Support

Caregivers can navigate a loved one’s cancer journey while ensuring personal physical, mental, and emotional well-being by asking for help from other people.⁴ This will enable you to get more time to focus on yourself⁴, find emotional support, and stay connected with a network of people who can provide you with a much-needed emotional outlet.²

Conclusion

Caring for your loved one with cancer can help them with their recovery.² Although caregiving has its challenges, tending to your loved one with cancer can be very rewarding.² Caring for them during the cancer journey can help bring you closer and strengthen your relationship.²

While you may be shocked of having a loved one diagnosed with cancer and feel unprepared to change your role to give them support, you can learn more and manage your responsibilities as you go through the cancer journey.³ Furthermore, you can get more information about what you can do to assist your cancer patient with their journey to fight cancer by consulting with your doctor. You can also look through local initiatives, such as MSD’s Hope From Within and their The Cancer Game Plan PH, which provide informational resources to help patients and their loved ones fight cancer armed with the up-to-date-knowledge.

REFERENCES

1. If You’re About to Become a Cancer Caregiver. (2019, October 31). Retrieved from American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/caregivers/if-youre-about-to- become-a-cancer-caregiver.html
2. Tips for caregivers. (n.d.). Retrieved from Cancer Treatment Centers of America: https://www.cancercenter.com/community/for-caregivers/tips-caring-for-a-loved-one- with-cancer
3. Support for Caregivers of Cancer Patients. (2020, August 6). Retrieved from National Cancer Institute: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/coping/caregiver-support

5 Steps to Navigate the Cancer Caregiving Journey. (2019, October 30). Retrieved from AARP: https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/health/info-2019/cancer-care.html