caregiver Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Cancer Care Services

Stories of Hope: Shandreka’s Story

In August of 2016, I had recently lost my job, and our money was extremely tight. All of my energy was focused on finding a new job when my husband, Michale, was diagnosed with stage 4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the head and neck. We had no idea what to do or where to go for help. Like so many who hear a diagnosis like this, we were afraid that we couldn’t get the care needed for my husband to fight and survive this. Fortunately, he still had his insurance, and we were able to see an oncologist. But I still worried about what was ahead; how many appointments, medications, and treatments?

At our first appointment with the oncologist, the staff gave me a stack of paper – pages and pages to fill out and sign. The last form asked if I needed assistance with information, guidance, or any financial help. Of course, my first thought was that there was no way that we would get any help, but I filled it out anyway and gave it back.

I was so surprised when the very next day, I got a call from Margaritta, a staff social worker at Cancer Care Services. (She probably doesn’t know this, but right before she called, I was crying alone in my room – not knowing if I was going to lose my mind and my husband of 20 years… I was feeling so much stress.) One of the first things she said to me was to ask if I was ok. I thought that was a little weird because I wasn’t the one with cancer and because no one else had asked me how I was doing.

Somehow, though, I think she knew I wasn’t ok, and she started feeding me with information. She got me in touch with people like Caryn, one of their Registered Dietitians and Certified Specialists in Oncology Nutrition, who would help me understand the special nutrition needs Michale would have and what I should do to help him stay nourished.

And then – help started flooding in from everywhere! There was a great help with the medical side of things for Michale and me, and there were things to help us cope with the emotional side of things, too. We got to do things together as a couple and as a family– which was really important to me because I wasn’t just a wife and caregiver; I was still a mother of two also! From going to baseball games and couples dinners to meeting new friends who could relate to us because they’d been on a cancer journey too, we were able to maintain a little bit of normal in our home life.

Because of the help and information we received through Cancer Care Services, our family survived this. Thank you, Cancer Care Services!

Karen’s Story

Stories of Hope: Karen’s Story

Cancer Care Services was a tremendous resource when my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She was 40 years old and had stage 2 breast cancer. Prior to her diagnosis, there was no history of cancer in our family.

When you hear the word cancer, you immediately have a ton of questions. How much time is left? Is it treatable? What are my options? What will it cost? We needed some guidance on how to navigate treatment. My knowledge was so limited about cancer and treatments and even how to comfort her through this scary time.

I was able to research online and found a Spanish support group at Cancer Care that could help answer some questions. At first, my mom refused to attend the support group because she thought it would be sad and depressing. It was actually the opposite.

My mom had a double mastectomy shortly prior to attending the first support group meeting at Cancer Care. The women and men in the meeting provided the comfort and encouragement she needed. She was able to hear testimonies from survivors and share her concerns with people who completely understood. Cancer Care offered my mom the kind of emotional support that no one else could. That’s not all Cancer Care Services did for her!

The financial burden that cancer adds to a family that is already struggling financially is stressful and almost unbearable. Cancer Care was able to help with my mom’s medical treatment expenses, such as the Cobra premiums and co-pays for doctor’s visits. Cancer Care also paid for my mom’s lymphedema sleeve after the insurance company called this a cosmetic sleeve and refused to cover the cost.

Cancer Care helped cover our medical needs and even helped my mom get a wig at a Look Good, Feel Good events that helped her esteem and confidence while going through cancer. Cancer Care was there to provide emotional support, financial support, and improve the overall well-being of our family. Cancer Care Services cared for our family during the most difficult times, which is why I love being able to give back in every way that I can.