November is National Family Caregivers Month. In honor of the incredible cancer caregivers in our lives, we are highlighting the importance of their place in the story. Read on to find blog posts from Cactus Cancer Society and The Negative Space, an organization that shines a light on the realities of caregiving, provides direct services to caregivers, and educates and equips those who support them with concrete tools and strategies.
Cactus Cancer Society
Surviving as a Caregiver: Our CEO, Mallory, describes the experiences that led her to start Cactus Cancer Society (then Lacuna Loft) and find healing in connection.
Interview with Cancer Caregiver Tisha: In this interview, conducted in 2017, Tisha shares the reality of parenting a toddler with a cancer diagnosis. Read on to learn how Tisha found distraction for her family and support to surround her while her son was in treatment.
Guilt and Caregiving: Caregiving can lead to a load of emotions, from the highs of good news to the lows of unexpected challenges. One thing that many caregivers constantly battle is guilt. In this caregiver’s piece, am daughter weighs the value of caring for herself, instead.
Speaking Up for Young Adult Caregivers: In this post from author Feylyn, she shares what she’s studied in her doctoral research about the identity development of young adult caregivers living in the United Kingdom and the United States. Her greatest piece of advice? It’s so valuable to share your story.
How To Care for A Caregiver: If you are not a caregiver, but want to offer support for someone who is, this is a great how-to guide from Mallory on ways to be genuinely supportive.
The Negative Space
The Invisible Traveler: In this blog post, Allison, the Founder of The Negative Space, writes about the unseen story of herself and her husband as they navigate a typical airport travel experience. While everything about them seems ordinary, the reality is that they truly are exceptional.
My Body is like a Honda Civic: Caregivers know that their bodies need to be the steady ones, the reliable working machines that allow the day to day happen. Here, Allison ponders her own relationship to her body and the necessity of keeping it functioning – for both her and her husband’s sake.
What You Don’t See: The Negative Space at Work: Like the Invisible Traveler blog post, this post explores the behind-the-scenes working of a caregiver’s demands in just over an hour. There’s the public exchanges and the private demands, all pointing to the truism that we only know half of a person’s story.
Caregiver Position Description: How many responsibilities are rolled into the category of caregiver? Imagining what a posting for that job would look like, Allison articulates essential duties, general qualifications, and the compensation entailed.
Drowning: In this piece, which was adapted into a piece for a solo soprano, Allison writes about drowning. Not drowning as it’s depicted in films or television shows, but drowning in a public sphere where others do not take notice of the alarm inside. You can also listen to the song on the page.
