CAREGIVER GUIDE
A Letter from ZERO Dear Friend,
After a loved one is diagnosed with prostate cancer, a flood of emotions may follow. Anger, grief, confusion, denial, fear…all of these are normal and common. This new responsibility as a caregiver will feel overwhelming at times, so taking care of YOU will help ensure you are able to care for your loved one. The term “caregiver” is used throughout this guide to describe the informal, unpaid role of taking care of a loved one with prostate cancer. Some caregivers prefer the term “care partner,” because this term aligns closer to the shared commitment that the person diagnosed with prostate cancer and their loved one are partners in this experience. Whichever term you and your loved one prefer, open and honest communication, free from guilt, and without holding back, is key. Committing to listening, asking questions, and asking for help when needed can lead to big benefits. The purpose of this guide is to provide you with tools, tips, resources, coping strategies, and support. Putting your own needs aside while you care for your loved one will not work in the long term. You have the right to take pride in what you’re doing, you have the right to seek help from others, and you have the right to maintain some bit of normalcy from your life before your loved one was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The demands of caregiving can take a heavy toll if you do not receive enough support or if you’re feeling a lack of control over the situation. Arming yourself with knowledge of prostate cancer, available resources, and tools for self-care will make this situation better for yourself and for your loved one. Just as no prostate cancer diagnosis is the same, no two people will provide care for a loved one in the same ways. You can do this…and you don’t have to do this alone. Rely on this guide and know that you are among more than 53 million Americans who are facing the challenge of caring for a loved one with a serious disease.
Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish - it must be done for your sake and so you can care for your loved one.
Shelby Shelby Moneer, VP of Patient Programs & Education Sincerely,
ZEROCANCER.ORG
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