American Cancer Society

Caring for Cancer Caregivers: Stories and Support from Cervivor

By Sara Lyle-Ingersoll, Cervivor Communications Director

November is National Family Caregivers Month—a time to honor and support those tireless supporters who ensure their loved ones’ meals are prepared, appointments are kept, and hope stays alive. This year’s spotlight shines even brighter with Cancer Support Community’s CEO Sally Werner, RN, BSN, MSHA, declaring 2025 the “Year of the Caregiver.”

At Cervivor, we’re leaning into this moment with the launch of our new Cancer Caregiver Support Powered By Cervivor, Inc. Facebook group—a dedicated space for cancer caregiver connection, real talk about the hard days, and helpful resources to lighten the load. 

Cervivor’s Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder started the organization 20 years ago so no one affected by cervical cancer feels or fights alone—and that includes caregivers. “Caregivers need caregivers,” says Tamika, who became her father’s caregiver as a teenager before surviving cervical cancer herself. “We have to put our oxygen masks on first.”

The numbers make it clear why this focus on caregivers is so critical:

  • In the U.S., about 6 million adults provide unpaid care to someone with cancer, often while also holding full-time jobs to maintain income and insurance, according to a 2023 study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

  • On average, cancer caregivers devote 33 hours each week to care, with about one-third providing 41 hours or more—the equivalent of another full-time job, reports Healthline.

  • For those supporting loved ones with cervical or gynecologic cancers, the role often includes intimate tasks like post-surgical wound care, fertility navigation, and body-image support—alongside immense emotional labor.

Ultimately, supporting caregivers means strengthening survivors, families, and the fight to end cervical cancer—Cervivor’s mission. Read on for powerful stories from our community, insights from trusted partners, and resources to help care for cancer caregivers—this National Family Caregivers Month and every month.

Why Caregivers Need Support Now More Than Ever

The demands of caregiving run deep, touching every corner of daily life in ways that can feel both overwhelming yet profoundly meaningful. Cancer Support Community (CSC)’s Cancer Experience Registry shows the scope of caregiving: 77% handle medical care, 79% provide emotional support, 82% manage transportation, and many juggle household chores and finances. Yet only 16% receive formal training, leaving 58% feeling unprepared for emotional needs and 68% for their own stress.

The emotional toll hits hard: Balancing work, family, and constant worry fuels burnout, guilt, and isolation. For cervical cancer caregivers, added layers like fertility loss and intimacy challenges can strain confidence and connection. “Caregiving for cervical and gynecologic cancers can be especially complex,” says Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW, Vice President of Network & Healthcare Partnerships at CSC. “Caregivers aren’t just managing logistics—they’re helping loved ones navigate emotional and physical changes that affect identity, relationships, and self-esteem.”

Financially, it’s also a strain. Recent research shows that lower-income and working caregivers face steeper challenges—lost wages, job risks, and barriers to paid leave. In 2024 alone, CSC’s helpline fielded 1,100 calls on financial stressors like bills and insurance, notes Kelly. 

But there’s hope: Support systems exist—and they work. The right help at the right time can turn isolation into empowerment and exhaustion into resilience. Guides from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and American Cancer Society (ACS) highlight practical strategies like skills training for day-to-day tasks, open communication with care teams, and planned breaks to head off overload before it takes hold.

At CancerCare, Danielle Saff, Director of Social Work Programs, puts it plainly: “Our message to caregivers is simple: You are not alone, and your well-being matters.”

Kelly Hendershot of Cancer Support Community
Danielle Saff of CancerCare

To bring this research to life, we’re sharing the stories of two Cervivor community caregivers: Richie Simpson, who cared for his wife, Cervivor Ambassador Arlene Simpson, and Cervivor’s Program Coordinator Lauren Lastauskas, who not only survived cervical cancer herself but also cared for her mother, Donna, through ovarian cancer until her passing in 2022. Their journeys reveal both the hardships and the resilience at the heart of caregiving.

Richie’s Story: “Laugh More than You’re Sad”

Richie’s path as a caregiver began long before Arlene’s diagnosis. He first witnessed cancer’s toll when his mother faced breast cancer in 2001. Later, he supported Arlene’s mother during her illness and cared for his own mother through pancreatic cancer until her passing in early 2018. These experiences, he says, taught him to “learn how to do old things in new ways” and to endure with love even in devastating moments.

Arlene and Richie Simpson

When Arlene was diagnosed in 2021, Richie entered what he calls “the eye of the storm.” Caregiving meant everything from navigating private challenges like bladder and bowel struggles, to managing emotional highs and lows, to late-night “doomscrolling” in search of answers. His greatest fear was losing her, but humor kept them afloat: “Whatever it took to find a giggle, I’d do it.”

To avoid burnout, Richie set boundaries. He learned not to rely on empty promises of help, instead identifying true allies and specifying what kind of support was needed. As a couple, Richie and Arlene worked hard to remain partners, not just patient and caregiver. Their roles were fluid: Sometimes she cooked, other times he stepped in, cherishing the reward of her smile. After treatment, intimacy and identity required rebuilding. Richie reminded her that the woman she was post-cancer was not “less,” but stronger—and encouraged her to share her voice to inspire others.

Richie’s advice to other caregivers: Laughter is vital. Share calendars, plan ahead for high-need days, jot down questions for doctors, sit in silence when words fail, and “laugh more than you’re sad—you’re the uplifting light in their life.”

Lauren’s Story: A Legacy That Keeps Giving

Lauren’s caregiving story spans generations. At 23, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, with her mother Donna by her side for every appointment, surgery, and recovery milestone. Donna had long been the family’s caregiver—caring for her own mother through breast cancer recurrences and her sister through late-stage lung cancer.

Lauren Lastauskas with her mother, Donna, at her first ACS Relay For Life as a cancer survivor in 2016.

Years later, Lauren found herself caregiving in turn: First for her sister-in-law during breast cancer treatment in 2019, and then for her mother, who was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in late 2021. By Christmas that year, doctors gave her a prognosis of six to eight months.

Lauren became Donna’s healthcare power of attorney, managing treatments, coordinating hospice, and making painful decisions. She helped bathe her, administered medications, and even accompanied her to the funeral home to ensure her wishes were honored. Donna passed away at home on May 7, 2022, surrounded by family.

For Lauren, caregiving brought exhaustion, isolation, and moments of resentment—but also profound love. “Even after, I’m still her caregiver—just grieving, honoring her,” she shares.

Cervivor’s founder Tamika remembers Donna as one of the organization’s earliest champions: “She was passionate, opinionated, and determined to make things happen for this community. She fundraised in gymnasiums, made signs, and wasn’t afraid to tell me exactly what Cervivor needed. I think she would be so proud to see Lauren carrying the torch now.”

Today, Lauren sees caregiving as an extension of survivorship: “Strength isn’t pretending; it’s choosing love. You’re doing your best; that’s enough. Love is a daily choice.” 

How to Care for Caregivers—Starting Today

The research is clear, and so are the lived experiences of cancer caregivers of Richie and Lauren: This work takes an enormous toll. Many feel underprepared and undersupported. What they need most is not only recognition, but also practical, accessible tools to help them sustain both their loved ones and themselves.

Whether you’re caregiving, surviving, or supporting from afar, these trusted resources can help:

  • Cancer Support Community (CSC) offers free support groups, workshops, and the MyLifeLine app, which includes a Helping Calendar to simplify requests for rides, meals, childcare, pet care, and more. The app also provides a message forum for cancer caregivers and the option to create a private website to document your journey. CSC’s nationwide Helpline (888-793-9355) is always available. “Support groups were my lifeline,” says Kelly from CSC, who was a caregiver herself. She also reminds fellow caregivers: “Rest isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.”

  • CancerCare provides free virtual and in-person counseling, workshops, toolkits, publications, and My Cancer Circle, an online platform that helps families and friends coordinate care. Its HOPEline (800-813-HOPE) is available Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. “Caregiving is an act of love, but it can also be exhausting, overwhelming, and isolating,” says CancerCare’s Danielle. “When you care for yourself, you’re better able to care for your loved one.”

  • American Cancer Society (ACS) offers practical tools for cancer caregivers like the Caregiver Resource Guide. Their 24-7 Helpline is 1-800-227-2345.

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI) has a Support for Caregivers page and a downloadable Caring for the Caregiver booklet. NCI emphasizes practical skills for communication, stress management, and daily caregiving.

  • Family Caregiver Alliance and the Administration for Community Living (ACL)’s National Family Caregiver Support Program provide respite programs, caregiver training, and navigation for financial assistance.

Tamika emphasizes why National Family Caregivers Month truly matters: “When we support caregivers, we strengthen survivors, families, and outcomes. Behind every Cervivor is someone who shows up with love and strength.”

Richie adds that finding a community is essential: “Connecting makes all the difference. You realize you’re part of something bigger.”

Interested in joining Cervivor’s new cancer caregivers Facebook group? Fill out this form to connect with peers, share your story, and find resources that lighten the load.

About the Author

SARA LYLE-INGERSOLL is a seasoned content and communications expert dedicated to transforming lived experiences into impactful stories. Her award-winning magazine feature about a close friend who passed from cervical cancer in their twenties led her to connect with Cervivor’s founder, Tamika Felder, and solidified her commitment to cervical cancer awareness and prevention. Now, as Cervivor’s Communications Director, Sara brings this mission full circle.

Latina Cervivor Stories: Changing the Narrative about Cervical Cancer in Hispanic Communities This Hispanic Heritage Month

By Kyle Minnis, Cervivor Communications Assistant

Each year, Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) honors the contributions and resilience of the more than 65 million Hispanic Americans who shape our nation’s culture, economy, and communities. It’s also an important opportunity to highlight persistent health disparities—particularly in cervical cancer prevention and treatment, which disproportionately affects Latina women.

Composite image of three Latina cervical cancer survivors with teal text: "LATINA SURVIVORS CHANGING THE NARRATIVE ON CERVICAL CANCER." The image highlights representation and advocacy for cervical cancer in Hispanic communities.

Latinas are 43% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women, and their risk of dying from it is 25 to 50% higher, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). They receive significantly fewer Pap tests and are less likely to follow up on abnormal results, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Barriers to care include stigma and silence around “below-the-belt” cancers, language differences, insurance gaps, transportation challenges, and inflexible work schedules, all of which delay diagnosis and limit access to lifesaving interventions.

Patient navigators like Nancy Peña—Founder and Director of Navegación de Pacientes Internacional (NPI), which trains Spanish-speaking clinical advocates across the U.S. and Latin America—champion bilingual education and culturally competent care, explaining, “Native-language navigation improves informed consent, adherence, and satisfaction; reduces errors and no-shows; and honors dignity.”

Bilingual clinical patient navigator Nancy Peña spoke to attendees at the 2024 Cervical Cancer Summit.

HPV vaccine uptake among Hispanic youth and young adults also remains low. While 63% of U.S. adolescents ages 13 to 17 are up to date on the full series, Hispanic adults ages 18 to 26 lag behind: According to the latest National Health Interview Survey, only 36% had received at least one dose, and just 21.5% had completed the full series—far below the national goal of 80% two-dose completion by age 15.

As Cervivor has reported, in many traditional households—Hispanic or otherwise—the vaccine is still seen to promote promiscuity. “It’s so important to speak openly with our children about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine,” says cervical cancer survivor Maritza Manjarrez, a Cervivor Español member who was raised in a Mexican family. “Vaccinating our youth doesn’t mean we’re giving them permission to have sex—it means we’re protecting them from a cancer that can develop later in life.”

Cervivor’s mission is to help eliminate cervical cancer while also lifting survivors from isolation, providing community and education, and empowering those affected to become advocates. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate our Latina community members—including Maritza, Dulcely Tavarez, Yvette Torres, and many more—by amplifying their stories and strength. Their voices demonstrate what it means to live beyond cervical cancer while advocating for health equity and compassion.

Maritza Manjarrez: Breaking the Silence

Maritza recently graduated from Cervivor School 2025.

“My cervical cancer journey has been especially difficult as a Latina. The stigma surrounding HPV and cervical cancer in our community has played a huge role in that,” says Maritza, who was diagnosed with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma at age 34. “Growing up Mexican meant you didn’t talk openly about topics like this. Keeping what was considered ‘private information’ to myself made it very hard to find help, support groups, or even basic information.”

That silence meant it took Maritza years to find Cervivor and feel comfortable sharing her story. “When asked what type of cancer I had, I felt a sense of shame and embarrassment to answer cervical cancer,” she recalls. “I believe this stigma plays a big role in the statistics. It makes me sad and worried, because if we don’t increase advocacy, these numbers are not going to change. Too many of our women are dying from this preventable disease.”

Dulcely Tavarez: Shattered Dreams, Renewed Fire

Dulcely Tavarez

Dulcely describes being in her early twenties, putting her own health last while caring for others, a struggle familiar to many Latinas. In April 2015, she finally saw a doctor about her irregular menstrual cycles, but was bounced between providers before receiving a cervical cancer diagnosis. “‘Later’ almost cost me everything. By the time I was diagnosed, the treatment I needed was life-saving but meant I could never carry a child.”

Dulcely’s family surrounded her with care and love, but it sometimes intensified her grief and isolation. “In our community, family and children are seen as such a natural part of life that it’s hard to explain the emptiness when that dream is taken away. Even when they were trying to comfort me, sometimes I felt alone in those emotions.”

She found healing in Cervivor. “When I looked for stories that reflected my own—young, Latina, facing cancer and fertility loss—I couldn’t find them. And that loneliness can be crushing. We need to see ourselves in these campaigns, in our own language, in ways that reflect our values and struggles. Representation is not just about visibility—it’s about saving lives and healing hearts.”

Thanks to her involvement with Cervivor, Dulcely became the first-ever recipient of the Cervivor Baby Gift Fund at this January’s 2025 Cervical Cancer Summit. The award supports cervical cancer survivors pursuing alternative paths to motherhood and accepts donations from $10 to $50,000.

Dulcely gets a hug—after receiving the first-ever Cervivor Baby Gift Fund—from Cervivor Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder at the 2025 Cervical Cancer Summit.

Yvette Torres: From Shame to Advocacy

Yvette Torres

Yvette’s cancer journey began with an unsympathetic, unprofessional diagnosis. “The doctor asked, ‘Why did I wait so long?’ Still in shock, I did not answer that callous question,” she recalls. At 42, she and her husband had been hoping for another child so their youngest son could have a closer-in-age sibling—but that hope ended with a biopsy, performed on her son’s 4th birthday, that confirmed cervical cancer in 2013. She remembers the OB/GYN telling her it “didn’t look good,” that it was most likely cancer, and later saying it was a “good thing I already had two children,” since treatment would likely take away her chance to have more.

This cold medical treatment reinforced how stigma and cultural silence can delay women from seeking care. Yvette shares, “I hid. I felt ashamed. I didn’t want to talk about it because that’s what I learned growing up—we didn’t talk about below-the-belt issues. My mother did teach me the importance of going to the gynecologist. However, I did not feel comfortable talking about details, differences, or changes in my body.” Her experience echoes what many Cervivor Español members describe: how misconceptions about HPV, reluctance to discuss gynecologic cancers, and language barriers all contribute to lower screening and vaccination rates.

For Yvette, community was the turning point. “I found Cervivor during COVID, when isolation made everything feel even worse.” Through Cervivor Español, she gained the confidence to speak out in Spanish, even though she hadn’t grown up fluent, and now distributes bilingual prevention materials. “Now, I celebrate and embrace my Black and Hispanic identity by advocating for these communities and helping women not feel ashamed by sharing my story,” says Yvette, a 2023 Cervivor Champion and recent top Tell 20, Give 20 fundraiser, who also mobilized her students through a school workplace drive to spread awareness.

Yvette at work, where her story inspired colleagues to donate thousands to Cervivor’s Tell 20, Give 20 campaign.
Dulcely at last year’s Communities of Color Patient Advocacy Retreat, where she did outreach through Cervivor Cares.

Join the Movement to End Cervical Cancer Disparities in Hispanic Communities

Latinas make up 20% of the U.S. population, and their stories of surviving cancer, overcoming setbacks, and celebrating successes deserve to be heard—not just during Hispanic Heritage Month. Whether navigating care in a new language, confronting cultural silence around cancer, or redefining family and identity after treatment, Latina Cervivors show that community and compassion can transform what’s possible.

To help reduce cervical cancer diagnoses and improve outcomes for Hispanic individuals with a cervix, take action today by:

  • Sharing your Cervivor Story to put a face on a cancer that is too often hidden or hushed.

  • Supporting Cervivor’s 20th-year Tell 20, Give 20 campaign to fund culturally relevant programming and Cervivor Español support group (and sign up for next month’s event).

  • Advocating for bilingual programs—like Nancy Peña’s NPI patient navigators—that help create more equitable care pathways.

  • Championing advocacy groups such as the ACSí Se Puede Hispanic/Latino Advocacy Alliance, which amplify voices and expand access for Spanish-speaking communities.

  • Using your voice. If you speak Spanish—whether fluently or conversationally—you can support those facing language barriers. Talk with them about the life-saving benefits of HPV vaccination, regular screenings, and timely follow-ups.

Lastly, honor the voices of Maritza, Dulcely, and Yvette—and so many others—by making this Hispanic Heritage Month a catalyst for lasting change. As Dulcely reminds us:

“Please don’t wait. Don’t push your health to the bottom of the list the way I did… To the mothers—protect your children with the HPV vaccine. It’s an act of love. To my fellow women—know your worth, use your voice, and never stop fighting for answers.”

If you found this blog post helpful, please share it with friends or family members. You may just save a life. Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

About the Author

The image is a portrait of a young man with dark skin and short, curly black hair. He is wearing a blue collared shirt and black-framed glasses, and is smiling at the camera. The man has dark skin and short, curly black hair. His hair is cut close to his head, with a slight fade at the sides. His eyebrows are thick and well-groomed. He is wearing a blue collared shirt. The shirt is a medium blue color and appears to be made of a lightweight material. It has a relaxed fit and is buttoned up to the top. He is also wearing black-framed glasses. The frames are rectangular in shape and have a subtle curve at the temples. The lenses are clear and do not appear to have any tint or coating. The man is smiling at the camera. His smile is wide and genuine, showing off his white teeth. His eyes are crinkled at the corners, giving him a friendly and approachable appearance. The background of the image is a plain gray color. The gray is a medium tone, neither too light nor too dark. It provides a neutral backdrop that allows the subject to stand out. Overall, the image presents a friendly and approachable young man who appears to be confident and comfortable in front of the camera

Kyle Minnis is a senior studying Strategic Communications at the University of Kansas. He is currently serving as Cervivor’s Communications Assistant.