Copelink Blog

Today’s guest blog post comes from CancerCare Social Worker, Lauren Chatalian, LMSW. As a member of CancerCare for Kids Team, Lauren shares her experience helping families care for a child with cancer.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Today’s guest blog post comes from CancerCare Social Worker Maryrose Mongelli. Maryrose shares her experience providing emotional support for individuals coping with cancer.

November is National Family Caregivers Month! CancerCare’s Caregiver Program Coordinator, Carly O'Brien, OSW-C, LCSW, shares her thoughts on the important role of caregivers.

Stacy Lewis discusses the unique challenges of a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, offers tips for finding support and describes how CancerCare’s services can help.

The following blog post was written by Stefanie Dinneen, a dedicated supporter of CancerCare, and was republished here with her permission.

Dixie shares: “One of the many beneficial things I learned from my time at CancerCare was the importance of self-care. Early on, I identified an important self-care activity as riding my bicycle. My Dad and I often rode together, and it was something that, long into his own treatment, served as a crucial self-care activity for him. It felt like I’d landed on the perfect fit when I discovered CancerCare was a represented charity for the TD 5 Boro Bike Tour, and I was honored to have the opportunity to raise money for an organization that had done so much for me.”

I found myself leaving sessions hopeful and revitalized, emotions I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was able to be a better caregiver for my Dad because I was finally taking care of myself - a gift from CancerCare that I will be forever grateful for.

Today’s blog post comes from Chiara D’Agostino, who writes at Beauty Through the Beast about her experience with breast cancer and how it’s affected different facets of her life. Here, she muses upon how a breast cancer diagnosis often coincides with the end of a relationship, combining her own story with a wealth of research and advice for others. You can read a longer version of this piece on her blog.

A person with cancer will usually consult with many health care professionals throughout his or her treatment and follow up care. Cancer is generally treated using a multidisciplinary approach, which means the members of your health care team with different areas of expertise will work together to discuss treatment options and make decisions.

“It’s frightening to hear someone talk about cancer, and we automatically think about ourselves. But try to keep your own feelings in check and focus on the person who has been diagnosed. You don’t have to fix this situation or say something profound, just being there is huge.”

CancerCare oncology social worker Sarah Kelly, LCSW, comments on the frequently asked question of what to say to someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, and what kind of comments to avoid.