Today is #worldcancerday, everyone talks about the patients, but I’m gonna talk about caregivers.
When it comes to caregivers, I’ve been fairly lucky since my mets diagnosis. And while I have been getting pretty decent support, my mom has not. I know how worried and stressed she is, saw me my worst. Like, there is no room for emotions to be let out or feelings to be set free. Nobody allowing her space to grieve. Nobody offering her an escape or reprieve or something to get her mind off of things. She is exhausted and still tries to do her best to be able to support me the most.
It’s not surprising that the focus goes on the patient. But the caregiver or close loved one needs tender care, an ear, a shoulder of support too. It’s unacceptable to me that supposed friends and family are clueless to that. If my mom isn’t being supported now, what will happen when I’m gone? Who will be there for her then? How do we educate friends and family to do better? And who’s job is it to do so?
Shoutout to every caregivers out there, because your role is bigger than anyone else’s.
