Taking On The Role Of Cancer Caregiver
- Cancer caregivers can be spouses, family members, or close friends. They can act as a patient’s second set of ears. If possible, it can be helpful to attend appointments with the patient and take notes on treatment options, procedures, and other important facts worth remembering.
- As a caregiver, it’s crucial to help the patient keep track of symptoms, any new reactions to treatment, and concerns they have for their doctors.
- Examples of caregiver activities may include attending doctor visits, helping the patient take notes and ask questions, providing transportation to and from treatment, and helping with everyday activities such as preparing meals.
- With all these new responsibilities, it’s also important for cancer caregivers to make time to care for themselves, too.
Spouses often take on the role of caregiver, attending appointments, guiding treatment choices, and providing unwavering support. Navigating this journey together means confronting uncertainty while holding onto hope.
Read MoreCancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support. pic.twitter.com/oSS1vGIiwU
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 19, 2025
“Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places,” the post, shared to the former president’s social media accounts, read.
Many cancer patients are encouraged to build a support group to help them through their cancer journey. Sometimes, close members of that support group may be caregivers. This person may be a spouse, parent, sibling, close friend, or child.
Helping Care for Your Loved Ones
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- Here Are Top Tips For Cancer Caregivers To Help Them Through The Process
- How Embracing the Role of Cancer Caregiver Brought Iowa Couple Closer & Strengthened Their Marriage
- Meeting the Needs of Black Caregivers
How To Help A Partner Diagnosed With Cancer
After a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural for spouses to grapple with a whirlwind of emotions — anger, grief, anxiety, and beyond. The journey ahead can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. There are strategies to navigate uncertainty, find support, and face challenges with resilience.
Some popular approaches, backed by research and many anecdotal accounts, include:
- Talking to a therapist to share feelings you’re going through
- Having candid conversations with your loved one about the diagnosis
- Researching the disease together to learn about available treatment options
- Joining a support group or connecting with others who have gone through, or are going through, the same experience
Your Role As A Caregiver
SurvivorNet has spoken with a collection of expert oncologists, social workers, and patient advocates to provide a helpful list of how cancer caregivers can help throughout the treatment journey and beyond.
Attend Doctor Visits
Throughout the treatment process, there will be many occasions when the patient receives a large amount of information at once. As a caregiver, attending as many doctor visits as possible can be a huge help. This allows you to take notes on treatment options, protocols, lifestyle changes that may be needed, and more.
Connect With a Social Worker or Patient Navigator
Ask for the patient’s medical team to connect you with a patient navigator or social worker. Many hospitals and cancer centers have specialized staff available to connect you with additional resources, which may include arranging transportation to and from doctor appointments, assisting with insurance claims, and more.
WATCH: How Patient Navigators Can Help
“Patient navigators can function differently at different hospitals,” Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph, a surgical oncologist at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.
“We have a really wonderful program at [NYU] where we use lay navigators, meaning they’re not nurses — although you can use nurses or social workers, that pretty much help newly diagnosed cancer patients through the continuum of care,” Dr. Joseph added.
Additional services patient navigators may provide include:
- Attending future appointments with you
- Providing an assessment for the next steps of care
- Assisting with housing, transportation, or immigration issues
- Helping with financial issues
- Providing direction on legal issues
Help the Patient Keep Track of Their Symptoms
As mind-boggling as a cancer diagnosis can be on a spouse or loved one, it’s likely more stressful for the patient.
Sometimes, it is easier for the caregiver to monitor the patient’s symptoms than for the patient. Try to maintain an open line of communication and encourage your loved one to share their feelings regularly to help monitor symptoms.
Let the Patient Speak for Themselves Whenever Possible
As a caregiver, your role is to be the best advocate possible for the patient. While assisting them with various tasks, it is essential to allow them to maintain a sense of independence whenever possible. Cancer caregivers can help keep track of symptoms, navigate finances, and even emotions — but they should also let the person they are caring for speak up about what they genuinely need throughout the process.
“Some of the best examples that I have seen in caregivers are those spouses or loved ones who really, almost sit back and they allow the patient, or they want the patient to express what the patient feels first, rather than barging in,” gynecologic oncologist Dr. Jayanthi Lea told SurvivorNet.
“…Step back a little bit and let the patient speak for themselves. Let them express what they are feeling. That is so important for the patient’s overall quality of life and well-being,” Dr. Lea added.
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