Our top stories and resources for caregivers

If you have recently become a caregiver, you’re not alone. As you take on new responsibilities and get used to this role, read advice to new caregivers from the experienced caregivers in our online cancer support community.

When Paula Pestrin was diagnosed with cancer, her best friend, Sandra de Haan, became her care partner. Together, they faced many challenges, including dealing with the cost of cancer care to travel for Paula’s life-saving surgery.

After Paula decided not to have the surgery because she couldn’t afford to fly from Thunder Bay to Toronto, they learned about Air Daffodil and the Travel Treatment Fund. Through these Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) travel assistance programs, Paula and Sandra were able to fly from Thunder Bay to Toronto for Paula’s surgery and had some of the costs of their ground transportation covered.

Read Paula and Sandra’s story.

Whether you have cancer or you’re a caregiver, a difficult part of a cancer diagnosis is waiting – waiting in doctors’ offices or hospitals, waiting for the start or end of treatment, waiting for results that could confirm a diagnosis or waiting for news that treatment worked. We asked our online support community how they cope with waiting periods, and they shared ways that they care for themselves and their loved ones during these stressful times. Read about ways to cope with cancer waiting periods.

Cancer costs can be overwhelming and as a caregiver, you might be dealing with the financial part of this disease. CCS aims to reduce the financial stress so you can focus on your loved one’s recovery. We’ve answered some financial questions you might have about the resources available to you or your loved one. Read 6 financial questions about cancer.

Caregiving can be an intense and tiring job. Having strategies to make the most out of your time and energy is an important part of taking care of yourself while you’re looking after your loved one. Read 7 tips to help you avoid caregiver burnout.

When Vincent was 16 years old, he and his sister became full-time caregivers to their mother, Lyne. When Lyne was diagnosed with lung cancer that later spread to her brain, Vincent and his sister put their studies aside to work and provide for their family. Struggling to cover the costs of rent, food, medicine and transportation to treatment, the family received financial assistance from CCS to cover transportation costs. Read how a teen became a caregiver when cancer affected his family.

If you’re a caregiver, part of your job might be talking to your child about their loved one’s diagnosis. Helping your child understand what’s happening can help them cope with the changes. Depending on how old they are, they’ll have their own questions, reactions and ways of coping. For some ideas to start the conversation, read about talking to children about cancer.