Lessons from Dolly
Why caregivers need to safeguard their own health when caring for others Shortly after singer Dolly Parton’s death in August, the world learned of the country music star’s personal health struggles while caring for her husband Carl Dean, who died in 2025. In public statements released before and after Parton’s death from cancer, the singer […]
Grief’s Many Faces
How caregivers navigate guilt and loss when their caregiving responsibilities end Susan Skeldon, 72, of Joliet, Illinois, remembers the worry she felt when she became her mother’s primary caregiver. She feared that she was abandoning her husband, Chuck, to focus on her mom. Skeldon was in her 60s when her 93-year-old mother, Mary Duchene, fell […]
Seeking Support
Cancer support groups offer hope and strength, but finding the right fit requires effort So, your diagnosis is in. You have Stage 3 breast cancer, which has metastasized (spread). You undergo a battery of tests and treatments: blood draws, PET scans, radiation, chemotherapy, surgery. And through it all, you’re left feeling anxious, fearful, and alone. […]