Cancer Caregivers

The Wellness Community, a nonprofit supporting cancer patients and their families, commissioned a survey of 1,002 Americans about their role as caregivers.

Only 20 percent of Americans who provide support to a loved one with cancer consider themselves a "cancer caregiver," well below the national estimate of 60 percent, a national survey released today shows.

This year, it is projected that 1.4 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer. For most of these individuals, someone who cares about them will take on the role of caregiver. A cancer caregiver is anyone who provides physical, emotional, financial, spiritual or logistical support to a loved one with cancer.

Approximately 90 percent of those surveyed felt they were not very knowledgeable or only somewhat knowledgeable about cancer caregiving. This lack of understanding is also reflected among those with caregiving experience. In fact, more than 65 percent of people who consider themselves cancer caregivers expressed limited knowledge on the subject.