resource highlight

ACS launches new section on web site for caregivers
The cancer patient is one of many people affected by their illness. Life also changes for the person who helps the patient through this experience – the caregiver.

The American Cancer Society has recently launched a new section on its web site to meet the needs of caregivers. The section is designed to help caregivers cope; inform caregivers about what they can expect and the resources that are available to them; and allow caregivers to find an online community where they can connect, share, and learn from each other.

Research conducted by the American Cancer Society’s Behavioral Research Center shows that cancer caregiving is among the most stressful burdens of all caregiving. Through the new "Caregivers" section, cancer caregivers will find four sections of information to meet their needs.

• Coping as a Caregiver: Caregivers need to take care of their own needs as well as the needs of the patient. Here they can learn how to manage their emotions, how to talk about the cancer experience, and how to know when they may need help coping.
  
  
• How to Provide Care: Caregivers will find practical advice for helping with common side effects of treatment, special nutrition needs of cancer patients, and finding professional agencies to help with caregiving tasks.
  
  
• Nearing the End of Life: When cancer treatment is no longer working, patients and their caregivers face difficult challenges. Caregivers will learn how to prepare for this time and how to deal with the grief it brings.
  
  
• Connect with Other Caregivers: Just as there are millions of cancer survivors, there are millions of cancer caregivers. Caregivers will be able to connect with others facing similar issues and find support as they swap suggestions and share stories through the Cancer Survivors Network.

If someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, you may find yourself taking on new, unfamiliar responsibilities as you help them through treatment and recovery. Taking care of a person with cancer is an important and sometimes difficult job. Organized from a caregiver’s perspective, this new resource will allow cancer caregivers to quickly locate information, articles, tools, and communities most relevant to them.

Check out the new section today by using the "Caregivers" link on the main page of cancer.org or by visiting www.cancer.org/caregivers.

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