Being a caregiver is a taxing experience. You are being asked to juggle the needs of your loved one along with those of any additional family members, not to mention attending to your own self-care. Easier said than done, right? Know that you are not alone. Caregivers need just as much support as their loved one dealing with the illness.

 It is important to be mindful of any changes and signs of acute stress you may be experi­encing. These include:

• Changes in Sleep

• Changes in Appetite

• Exhaustion/Fatigue

• Withdrawing from friends and Family

• Feeling overly emotional/angry

• Feelings of overwhelming anxiety

 These are all normal reactions to the situa­tion you are facing. However, if they persist, then it can start to affect your own health. It is important to recognize these signs of acute stress so we can address them before it turns into chronic stress and burnout.

 It is absolutely essential that you take care of yourself. You cannot possibly begin to care for another if you aren’t taking the time to care for yourself. Below are a few things you might want to think about putting into place; start with just one if you are already feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes just having one small thing in place can go a long way towards your sanity and relief.

 Nutrition and Rest

It may sound very basic, but you need to eat well and rest when you are able to. This means making sure you eat enough fuel to keep your strength up and rest when you have the opportunity to help with your stamina. Make sure you drink plenty of water. And don’t forget to take a deep breath every once in awhile – deep breathing can help with fatigue and anxiety. Make time for yourself to relax and rejuvenate, even if it is only 15 minutes per day – take the time.

 Educate Yourself about Brain Cancer

The more you know, the better you’ll know what to expect and you will feel more in control of the situation. Ask doctors and nurses about your loved one’s condition and what you as a caregiver need to know. The Internet is also a very good way to learn more about your loved one’s disease. The National Brain Tumor Society  (www.braintumor.org ), The American Brain Tumor Association (www.abta.org ) and the Brain Tumor Foundation (www.braintumorfoundation.org), The Chris Elliott Fund (www.chriselliottfund.org )  are excellent places to start. As you research, write any questions or comments you may have for the doctor and take them to the next appointment.

  Delegate Tasks to Family and Friends

You will find friends and family are more than happy to help in time of need. You just need to ask, or more often than not just need to be ready with “tasks” when they volunteer to help.  Things like cooking meals, running errands or cleaning can all be delegated to friends and family.  Have a list of “tasks” that others can do ready, it will help when you are tempted to give the standard response of “I don’t think there is anything you can do to help right now.” Having someone else pitch in and help you with these tasks will leave you with time to concentrate on providing care for your loved one. If you need help in organizing a “Share the Care” schedule, you can visit www.sharethecare.org .

 Get Organized

Many caregivers also are responsible for maintaining medical records, insurance claims, and finances, not to mention medica­tion and eating schedules. The key to success here is organization. Keep medical records neat and accessible by storing them in a large file, organized by date. Medicine schedules can be created with a spreadsheet, then printed out daily or weekly, or use a blank template of a medication log.  As each dose is given, you can check it on the sheet with the time. The same can be done for eating schedules.

Join a Caregiver Support Group

Whether it be online or through the hospi­tal, a caregiver support group is an excellent way to meet others going through the same thing as you. It really does help to have someone who can provide you with tips or can identify with daily care giving life. The Brain Tumor Caregiver Support Group at Swedish meets on the 1^st Wednesday of the month.  The Brain Trust runs an online support group for caregivers   (www.braintrust.org ). Cancer Lifeline (www.cancerlifeline.org ) and Gilda’s Club (www.gildasclubseattle.org ) are also great resources for you. They offer a multitude of services, groups and classes for the whole family.

When to Seek Help

If you feel like you may be experiencing caregiver burnout, see your primary care physician. He or she can make recommen­dations based on your symptoms and personal information. Some caregivers find relief in regularly talking to a therapist, social worker or religious counselor while caregiving.

If you need to speak to a caring, trained, professional right away no matter the hour, then you can consider calling the 24 hour lifeline at 1-800-255-5505. The phone line is answered by trained volunteers at Cancer Lifeline 24 hours a day.  If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or your loved one, go to your local emergency room or call 911. Severe burnout can result in these feelings, but help is always available.

Caregivers have a tough job, and my advise is this:  do the best you can in each moment and be open to receiving help – for your sake as well as your loved one.   

Stacie Beam-Bruce, MSW
Chris Elliott Fund Integrative Care Specialist
Neuro-Oncology Social Worker
Ben & Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment
Swedish Neuroscience Institute

I was reminded  last Friday once again, what it means to be around a handful of unique individuals who understand the difficulties of each situation and strive to do whatever it takes, whatever is best for the patient–this is where they focus their efforts, whether politically correct or not, they advocate and service the life of the patient and somehow connect to what is right and what is honorable when it comes to the patient and their care. 

I am lucky to have one of my inspirations right here in Seattle, and I felt the need this evening to reach out and say, thank you Dr. Gregory Foltz for all that you do.  You inspire me to end this disease with you, and believe me, we will.

I left in awe and with a sense of hope and inspiration that the loss of my daughter, Raina, and others would not be in vain. Many are working hard to find a cure for brain cancer fueled by the contributions from organizations like the Chris Elliott Fund which raises money for patient support, awareness and cutting edge research. My family and friends are honored to be supporters of the Chris Elliott Fund. Donate what you can, what’s comfortable to help end brain cancer.

John Bourland, Burlington VT

60 people are going through a brain cancer diagnosis today. We hope they and YOU would have support and friends to turn to and we hope that they and YOU would immediately know to turn to us for help. We hope they and YOU would know about the Chris Elliott Fund before being diagnosed. We hope they and YOU would use us as a free resource to gather correct information quickly and help you know about advanced brain cancer treatment and help you receive these treatments. YOU can help make this information available to everyone. Here’s how YOU can help TODAY!

TODAY, we are asking for a $10 donation (insert link to web donation page) from 3,000 of our friends and supporters so that we can help those 60 people diagnosed TODAY and EVERYDAY.

YOUR $10 Donation will:

Help others to know about the Chris Elliott Fund and our services via our public awareness campaigns, social media, internet and our special awareness events. We HOPE that those diagnosed know to immediately reach out to the Chris Elliott Fund so that we can connect then to a brain tumor center noted for its excellence anywhere in the country. Your donation also funds our Patient Outreach and Awareness Program and allows YOU when you need us to reach out directly to the Chris Elliott Fund for help and ask one of our patient specialists for help. It allows us to help you or a loved one receive advanced brain tumor treatment and genomic testing of one’s individual brain tumor to determine which chemo will work on your personal brain tumor.

This is why we turn to you. Those 60 people won’t be able to find us in the vast pool of chaos and mis-diagnosis, and wrong answers without your help. We cannot win this battle without your confidence and support.

TODAY’s donation request will help us move forward and build awareness so that others will immediately find us, and will find the answers they need to end brain cancer in their lives. Those 60 people need us today—they don’t need a large organization with bureaucracy where they get transferred from place to place. They need answers quickly and they need the right answer now. They need to know that we are out there and we have the answers they need to extend their lives or even save them.

The only way we can do that is with your help and support. Please reach out to us to show YOUR support and donate $10.00 dollars so we can fund our programs (Link here to our website on the donate page), fund research, fund awareness, fund educating doctors and patients, and most importantly, to fund the cure. What if YOU were diagnosed TODAY with brain cancer? Would you know who to turn to? Please help others to be aware of the Chris Elliott Fund by supporting our efforts so that all who are diagnosed know to immediately reach out to us for help and guidance.

Please take a moment and really think about these 60 people today. What are they doing to get help, and where are they going? Standard protocol is not going to save their life, but specialized, customized treatment will, and we know how to get them this treatment fast.

We THANK YOU for donating $10.00 dollars so that we can fulfill our mission: to End Brain Cancer through education, awareness, advocacy and research.

Thank you for your time, your passion, and your support. Your support TODAY, may have just saved a life.