Cancer Caregiver Support
Through our unique matching process, Imerman Angels partners individuals seeking cancer support with a Mentor Angel – a fighter, survivor, previvor or caregiver – who has been in their shoes.
Cancer Caregiver Support
Through our unique matching process, Imerman Angels partners individuals seeking cancer support with a Mentor Angel – a fighter, survivor, previvor or caregiver – who has been in their shoes.
What is a
Cancer Caregiver?
A Cancer Caregiver is a person who provides long- or short-term care or support to someone who needs assistance due to an illness, injury, or disability — in this case, cancer. Caregiving can encompass a wide range of different types of relationships with the person you’re caring for, and a multitude of various scenarios. For example, caregiving can look like providing care for a:
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- Parent
- Child
- Sibling
- Spouse or romantic partner
- Friend
- Neighbor
- Roommate
- Person you have a strained relationship with
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NEW! A guidebook offering emotional support, validation and practical tips for cancer caregivers, with insights from clinical experts and Caregiver Mentor Angels who’ve been there.
Join our community of Cancer Caregivers
REQUEST A MENTOR ANGEL
Caregiving is its own cancer experience—and caregivers deserve support, too. The fear, uncertainty, exhaustion and emotions of caring for someone with cancer can feel overwhelming and isolating. But you are not alone. Through our free one-on-one support, you can connect with a Caregiver Mentor Angel, someone who has been there, understands the unique experience of caregiving, and can offer comfort, understanding and the reassurance that you don’t have to navigate it alone.
BECOME A MENTOR ANGEL
Your experience as a caregiver can become a source of comfort for someone who is struggling to find their way. As a Caregiver Mentor Angel, you offer something only someone who has been there can truly give: understanding. By listening, sharing and simply being present, you can help another caregiver feel seen, supported and less alone.
Additional Caregiver Resources
Cancer Resource Guide
The Fall 2024 edition of Imerman Angels’ quarterly Resource Guide focuses on resourses and support for cancer caregivers.
Grief Toolkit
This toolkit is a resource created by and for our community to utilize when assisting others in managing their grief process. Choose your language below.
"The match felt so illuminating, my mentor was so receptive and open and invited me to share. But it doesn't feel like we come together to commiserate, it always feels uplifting. It has made me feel stronger as someone who needs to show up everyday with the resilience and fortitude as a caregiver"
- Liza
"Being a Caregiver Mentor Angel is helping me grow and work on myself because, when you have been a caregiver, you sometimes have to find yourself again. The mentees want to hear my story, we understand each other and have similarities in experiences, even though we are totally different people, and it brings us closer. With my mentees, I am helping them and they are helping me too. I remember how I felt, and am able to relate to how they are feeling and relay my experiences with them. When you are in the thick of it, you feel like the only one going through it, and it serves as a nice reminder to know that you are not alone."
- Stephanie
"My mentor was further down the journey compared to me, and he was able to validate some of the feelings such as anger and anticipatory mourning, and specifically those situations when people ask how I'm doing but really expect me to just say I'm fine since I'm not the one with the diagnosis. With a mentor, to be able to share all those feelings and thoughts was amazing."
- George
"When our son was diagnosed, we were lost. We didn’t have anybody for quite some time. When I got a match, I felt that I’m making a difference. I’m helping somebody. It’s hard, because they’re where I was, and I just want to say it’s going to be okay…If we can be there for one another, that's healing. Even if it’s not healing of the body, it’s healing of the mind. When she sees my name or my message, it makes her feel good, and I think that’s really meaningful."
- Lynn
Yes, more than one caregiver from the same family can register for a mentor. Although they are supporting the same loved one, each caregiver’s experience, responsibilities, and emotional journey can be very different. Providing individual support ensures that each person receives guidance and connection that reflects their unique needs. Absolutely! We can match you with a Mentor Angel or Support Seeker who was also a secondary caregiver, and whose experience(s) align with yours. Yes, you can still register to be a caregiver mentor if your loved one has passed. Many caregivers find that their experience continues to shape their perspective long after loss, and that insight can be incredibly meaningful to others who are currently navigating caregiving. Your lived experience can offer understanding, compassion, and guidance to those who need it. No, you do not need to live (or have lived) with your loved one to register for support or to become a Caregiver Mentor Angel. Caregiving can take many forms, including providing support from a distance. Whether you were involved in day to day care or offered emotional, logistical, or long distance support, your experience is valid and can be incredibly valuable to someone going through similar circumstances. We support all types of caregiving relationships. This includes parents caring for children and children caring for parents, spouses or partners, siblings, friends, and more. No matter the relationship, we strive to make meaningful matches based on shared experiences. If you are a former Support Seeker and you’re ready to give back to the community, you might be ready to be a Caregiver Mentor Angel! Register to become a mentor by click the button at the top this page or calling 866-IMERMAN (463-7626).Caregiver Support FAQs
Can multiple people in one family request a Caregiver Mentor Angel?
Can I request/become a caregiver mentor if I was not the primary caregiver?
Can I still register to be a caregiver mentor if my loved one has passed?
Do I need to live with my loved one to be able to register for/as a Caregiver Mentor Angel?
What types of relationships might a caregiver have with the person they are supporting?
How do I know if I'm ready to become a Caregiver Mentor Angel?