Episode 40


Hope for Cancer Caregivers

with ‍Rose Gerber
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Hope for Cancer Caregivers

What helps a caregiver stay steady when cancer changes everything?

Caregivers carry so much of the emotional weight of cancer, yet their needs are often overlooked. In this powerful episode, Darcie Wells joins the Community Oncology Alliance, hosted by Rose Gerber, for a conversation that sheds light on the unseen side of caregiving and the hope that grows when no one has to carry the burden alone.

Rose, a long-term breast cancer survivor, and Darcie talk about why caregivers deserve as much care, compassion, and emotional support as the person going through treatment. They discuss the role of trained peer volunteers and how emotional support changes the caregiving experience for both the patient and the family.

Darcie reflects on caring for her mother, stepfather, and grandmother as each faced cancer, all from a distance. She remembers wanting to help but not knowing where to turn, and later realizing how much a companion with lived experience would have eased the fear and isolation. Her message is clear. Your role matters. Caring for yourself strengthens the care you give. Hope grows when someone walks beside you with understanding.

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Highlights:

-Learn why caregivers often hide their stress and how that impacts the support system.

-Hear how CanCare trains volunteers to provide safe, compassionate emotional space.

-Understand why relationship-based matching helps caregivers feel seen and understood.

-Discover simple communication habits that help caregivers support loved ones.

-Gain insight into long-term caregiving needs and why support must adapt over time.

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Mentioned Resources:

CanCare- www.cancare.org

Book – www.cancare.org/hopebook

COA - communityoncology.org

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About the Guest:

‍Rose Gerber is a long-term breast cancer survivor and host of the Community Oncology Alliance podcast. Diagnosed while raising young children, Rose’s journey through treatment shaped her calling to ensure that others facing cancer are supported, informed, and heard. Today, she leads patient advocacy and education for the Community Oncology Alliance, managing the COA Patient Advocacy Network and working alongside oncologists, nurses, survivors, and policymakers across the country. Her work has taken her to Washington, D.C., national media platforms, and community cancer centers nationwide, empowering patients and protecting access to community-based cancer care.

is a long-term breast cancer survivor and host of the Community Oncology Alliance podcast. Diagnosed while raising young children, Rose’s journey through treatment shaped her calling to ensure that others facing cancer are supported, informed, and heard. Today, she leads patient advocacy and education for the Community Oncology Alliance, managing the COA Patient Advocacy Network and working alongside oncologists, nurses, survivors, and policymakers across the country. Her work has taken her to Washington, D.C., national media platforms, and community cancer centers nationwide, empowering patients and protecting access to community-based cancer care.

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Ep 56

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with Jill Kelly & Diane Rolston
How do you find yourself again after caregiving becomes your entire identity? When Jill Kelly, a retired physical therapist, became her husband Ron's caregiver after his esophageal cancer diagnosis, she spent more than six years balancing medical care, emotional support, and the uncertainty that comes with living through cancer. After Ron's death, grief coach and life coach Diane Ralston helped Jill navigate the painful journey of rebuilding her identity while honoring the life and love they shared. Jill shares the realities of caregiving, the emotional weight that often goes unseen, and the challenge of learning who you are when the role of caregiver ends. Diane introduces practical frameworks that help caregivers understand why they often lose themselves and offers simple tools to begin healing without guilt or pressure. Together, they explore the importance of feeling grief instead of avoiding it, discovering personal values, setting healthy boundaries, and choosing purpose one step at a time. Whether you're caring for someone with cancer, grieving the loss of a loved one, or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers reassurance that healing doesn't mean leaving someone behind. It means carrying their love forward while giving yourself permission to live fully again. Hope often returns through small moments, steady support, and the courage to take the next step. Highlights:  Learn why caregivers often lose their sense of identity and how to recognize it before burnout takes over.  Discover practical frameworks for moving through grief without rushing the healing process.  Hear why giving yourself permission to feel emotions is an essential part of recovery.  Understand how values, boundaries, and self-care help rebuild a meaningful life after loss.  Find encouragement that healing isn't about moving on. It's about carrying love forward while choosing life again. Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org Diane’s website - https://www.dianerolston.com/ About the Guest: Jill Kelly spent years as a physical therapist, helping others heal and rebuild their strength. Then her husband Ron was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and the healer became the caregiver. Jill walked beside him through every stage, and after his passing, she faced the work of rebuilding her own identity from the ground up. Diane Rolston is a life and business coach on a mission to help women find balance and reach their goals, even when life feels overwhelming. Her coaching programs have guided women around the world in honoring their ambitions while carrying the real weight of everyday life. Diane helps people rebuild new futures through seasons of change.
Ep 55

One Diagnosis. 3,000 Women Helped.

with Lyndsay Levingston
How do you turn a life-changing cancer diagnosis into a mission that helps thousands of others? At 37 years old, Lindsay Levingston was building a successful career in television news in New York City when she discovered a lump that would change the course of her life. The diagnosis was stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer. What followed was a journey through treatment, difficult decisions, and unexpected challenges that ultimately led her to a greater sense of purpose. Today, Lindsay is a breast cancer survivor, advocate, speaker, and founder of Survive Her, a nonprofit dedicated to education, support, and empowerment for women affected by breast cancer. As Lindsay reflects on her diagnosis, she shares how faith, family, and community became her foundation. What began as a desire to tell her story during the pandemic grew into Survive Her, a nonprofit dedicated to breast health education, support, screening awareness, and survivorship. She discusses the growing number of young women facing breast cancer, the importance of knowing your family history, and why every survivor's story matters. This conversation is a powerful reminder that hope is medicine, support changes lives, and purpose can emerge from places we never expected. Lindsey's story offers encouragement for anyone facing cancer and a call to use your voice, your experience, and your compassion to help others along the way. Highlights: 1. Learn why knowing your family history can be a critical part of early cancer detection. 2. Discover how support systems can impact both treatment and recovery. 3. Understand the unique challenges younger adults face after a cancer diagnosis. 4. Hear how faith and mindset can help people navigate uncertainty and fear. 5. Learn how personal adversity can become the foundation for meaningful service and advocacy. Mentioned Resources: CanCare- www.cancare.org SurviveHER – https://www.imasurviveher.org/ ‍About the Guest: Lyndsay Levingston is a breast cancer survivor, nonprofit founder, and tireless advocate for women navigating their breast health journey. After her own diagnosis, Lyndsay turned lived experience into lasting impact, building SurviveHER into a vibrant sisterhood offering education, financial assistance, wellness resources, and access to life-saving screenings for uninsured and underinsured women. Since 2020, SurviveHER has supported more than 3,000 women and received national recognition, including acknowledgments from the United States Congress. Her work has been featured in ESSENCE, Oprah Daily, NBC News, and Yahoo!.
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