Supporting A Loved One With Cancer
- Robin Roberts, who previously battled breast cancer herself, is now supporting her partner, Amber Laign, as she takes on her own battle with the disease.
- Roberts recently took some time away from Good Morning America to be with Laign during a “challenging week” for the cancer warrior, but now she’s back at work giving viewers laughs and wisdom once more.
- Pastor Tom Evans of the Brick Presbyterian Church says caregivers should "remember that you can't care for someone else properly unless you're strong. So don't hesitate to find those times."
Breast cancer survivor Roberts, 61, has been with her partner Amber Laign, 47, for nearly 17 years. And now that Laign is facing her own battle with the same disease, she's working hard to be there for her in any way she can.
Read More“You may think your situation is permanent. You don’t see how you could ever rise any higher and accomplish your dreams,” she said. “All the calculations are telling you that you’re never going to get out of debt. But wait a minute, wait a minute, that’s you talkin’. You know what God is saying? God is saying you need to get ready.View this post on Instagram
“You have not seen his explosive blessings. You haven’t seen the immeasurable, limitless surpassing greatness of his favor. He’s gonna bless you beyond your normal income, blessings that will catapult you years ahead, increase that goes beyond your calculations.”
And with that inspiring message, she transitioned to her daily prayer that always includes a shout-out to her “sweet Amber.”
“Father, thank you. Thank you for your unlimited favor and supply of everything we need in this life,” she said. “Thank you that we can take the limits off because we know all things are possible to you. We open our hearts to you ask you to increase our capacity to receive the riches of your free grace. In Jesus name, Amen.
Right sweet Amber?”
She ended the video with her signature message: “Have a blessed day and be a blessing.”
She also made room for plenty of laughs at work. In a cheeky moment with weather anchor Sam Champion, 60, she joked about must-have items for the start of summer.
“You’ve been talking about like the hats, and you know the cocoa butter, but you haven’t mentioned the speedo,” Roberts said.
Amid an outburst of laughter, Champion came back with a quick retort: “Well, Robin, it is part of the very typical summer solstice kit,” Champion joked. “And it is a gold lamé one.”
Roberts could barely keep it together.
“Oh! Oh! My eyes, My eyes,” Roberts said laughing.
Robin Roberts and Amber Laign Battle Breast Cancer
Roberts and her partner, Laign, have been together through many highs and lows over their nearly 17-year relationship including each of their battles with breast cancer.
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Roberts received her breast cancer diagnosis in 2007. Ironically, she was diagnosed after finding a lump in her breast during her preparation for a news segment on performing self-checks. Thankfully, she was cancer-free after surgery.
But in February, Roberts shared that Laign now has to face breast cancer as well. And in an interview from just the other day, she gave an important update regarding her partner's cancer journey.
"She's had some complications with the chemotherapy," Roberts previously told Entertainment Tonight. "They're working it out. We're gonna figure it out. The prognosis is still very good."
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Complications with chemotherapy are not uncommon, but they can be scary. So, Roberts is doing everything in her power to support her loved one during this difficult setback.
"I didn't realize how much I had blocked out during my journey, and it was because of sweet Amberbecause she protected me and navigated for me," Roberts said in a previous interview with Ellen Degeneres. "So, I'm doing the same thing for her."
Then, in a recent update, Roberts said that Laign was having a "challenging week," which is why she took some time away from GMA to be with her. Hopefully things are looking up for Laign as continues to fight the disease.
The Complexity of Caregiving
When you take on a caregiving role like Roberts, there's a lot that can fall on your plate. It's important to understand your loved one's diagnosis and help them follow the instructions from the cancer-care team.
"I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.," Dr. Jayanthi Lea, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
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That being said, it's natural that filling this role can bring up a whole host of emotions.
Tom Evans, a pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church located in the Carnegie Hill neighborhood of New York City, previously spoke with SurvivorNet about the complexity of caregiving.
"When you find yourself suddenly having to care for somebody, to be the primary lifeline for them, you very well could have mixed emotions," he said. "Maybe it's anger. Maybe this person never cared for you in the past, and now you have to do it for them. And maybe you're gonna feel like you're selfish when you need a break."
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But Evans wants caregivers to prioritize their own wellbeing too and remind people filling this role that noone can be a caregiver 24/7.
"It'll break anybody," Evans said. "Just remember that you can't care for someone else properly unless you're strong. So, don't hesitate to find those times."
He also added that caregivers need to find time away from caregiving and even find time for others to help them. They also should, in his opinion, make sure the emotions they feel throughout their caregiving journey are being heard.
"In those frustrations and that anger, take time to find someone to express that to," he said. "Whether it's a friend, whether it's a pastor, whether it's a neighbor, because as you work that out of your system, you'll be better, able to be there for them."
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