Caring for Someone

Supporting a loved one through a gynecologic cancer diagnosis can be challenging on many levels. Read on for essential information and resources to help you navigate this new, often overwhelming, terrain.

Your Role as a Caregiver and Advocate

Caregiving for a loved one with gynecologic cancer is a multifaceted role that involves challenging logistical responsibilities, from appointment scheduling, medication management, and transportation to providing emotional support and advocating for the best possible treatment.

Key areas to focus on include:

Providing Emotional Reassurance

As a caregiver for someone living with cancer, you are a valuable source of emotional and spiritual support. Being attentive, affectionate, and patient during this emotionally challenging time can be hugely beneficial. Just being there to listen if your loved one wants to talk or vent lets them know that they are not alone.

Keeping Track of Medical Details

Scheduling and keeping track of medical appointments and treatment schedules can be too much for a patient undergoing treatment. Taking on this task (and maintaining a list of all medications, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements) is an important part of caregiving.

Advocating For Your Loved One

Accompanying your loved one to doctors’ appointments, helping to understand treatment choices, asking for second opinions, and ensuring all medication information is clear and understood is another important task for caregivers. Managing communications with medical professionals as well as with family and friends may be another facet of your role. A palliative care team can also help communicate with your loved ones’ medical team.

Treatment and Follow-Up Care

Supporting a loved one during and after treatment involves various responsibilities.

Ways to Help During Treatment

: Ensure all prescriptions are filled and have a contact number for any questions.

Assist with pain management by reminding your loved one when to take medication.

Discuss any concerns with their doctor. Be prepared to help with meals, driving, childcare, and household tasks in the weeks following surgery.

Provide emotional support by being a consistent, reassuring presence and a good listener.

Consult the hospital social worker or case manager if professional nursing care or special equipment is needed at home.
: Know your loved one’s cancer treatment regimen and the typical side effects. Be sure to get the name and phone number of a healthcare provider who can answer any follow-up questions or address any questions about side effects if they arise.

If hair loss occurs—often after the 2nd or 3rd week of treatment—reassure your loved one that they are still beautiful and that it will grow back. You could even offer to go wig shopping together.

Be sure your loved one has packed a “comfort bag” to take along when getting chemotherapy treatments.

Arrange transportation to and from the treatment center, as they may be too tired to drive themselves. Consider arranging a tour of the center before treatment begins, and see if your hospital offers a virtual tour.

Some patients like to be alone during treatment to read and sleep; others like talking to friends, other patients undergoing similar treatment, or their Woman to Woman Mentor. Be sensitive to your loved one’s unique preferences.

Many patients develop “chemo brain,” which is characterized by forgetfulness or lack of focus, caused by chemotherapy. You can help by keeping an updated calendar of appointments and other commitments.
: Fatigue is a very common side effect of radiation. Your loved one may need extra time with tasks and more downtime between activities. Be patient and ready to help out.

Remind your loved one to clean and protect the skin exposed to radiation to control irritation and redness. Moisturize the skin when you start radiation therapy to minimize any reactions. You can use an over-the-counter moisturizer, such as one made by Cetaphil or CeraVe, or ask your radiation nurse for recommendations.

Help arrange transportation to and from the radiation facility.

Understand that scarring from radiation administered in gynecologic cancer treatments may cause certain changes and discomfort that can negatively impact sexual function and desire. Partners should try to be as open, honest, supportive, and patient as possible during the healing process.

The End of Treatment and Follow-Up Care

It’s important to understand that your loved one’s cancer experience does not end when treatment ends. In fact, for many people, this time is even harder than the diagnosis and the beginning of treatment. With fewer scheduled medical appointments, your loved one often faces more uncertainty about the future. In addition, recovery from the physical and emotional effects of surgery can take a significant amount of time. Life doesn’t look like it did pre-diagnosis, and it can take some time to adjust to this new reality.

Regular follow-up check-ups will be part of your loved one’s life. They may also experience fear of recurrence.

Learn more about living well after treatment

Genetic Counseling and Testing

If you are related to the patient, consider genetic counseling and testing to determine your risk for similar or other cancers. Men and women with certain family histories should discuss risks with their doctors.  OCRA offers free genetic testing kits for those who qualify.

Learn more about OCRA’s Free Genetic Testing Program

Resources for Caregivers

Support networks and resources can make all the difference as you adjust to your caregiving role.

As a caregiver of a loved one or friend living with cancer, it’s not uncommon to ignore your own self-care, which can lead to feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. This negative impact on your own physical and mental well-being can in turn make it harder for you to be an effective caregiver.

You need support, too. Whether it’s taking regular breaks to see friends or engaging in favorite activities, exercising, or connecting with others who understand your experience, make sure to prioritize the things you enjoy so you can continue to be there for your loved one. OCRA’s Staying Connected Support Series offers weekly programs specifically for caregivers.