Caregiving is one of the most demanding parts of a cancer journey, yet often one of the least visible.

Across the country, an estimated 6 million people are caring for a loved one with cancer, many stepping into the role without preparation and without pause. While the focus rightly centers on the patient, caregivers carry a parallel journey that can be just as consuming and isolating. The role does not come with a script, yet it asks for time, energy, emotion, and patience, often all at once.

That reality is what inspired the Care for the Cancer Caregiver event, hosted by the MCW Cancer Center’s Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) team. Now in its third year, the community gathering continues to grow as a space designed specifically for caregivers, offering connection, practical resources, and a sense of support for those helping loved ones navigate cancer every day.

“Many people have no idea the burdens that caregivers live through. These burdens are not only physical but emotional, mental, spiritual, and financial. We knew we needed to give them tools and resources and respite to help them on their journeys,” said Melanie Burns, COE Program Coordinator; leader of Care for the Cancer Caregiver.

For the first time, this year’s event was held at the MCW Center for Cancer Discovery (CCD). Throughout the day, caregivers participated in expert-led presentations, discussions on palliative care and wellness, and self-care activities designed to help them reconnect with themselves. Exhibitors provided resources and support materials, while small-group conversations created space for caregivers to openly share experiences with others who understand the emotional realities of the role.

After a day focused on the caregiving side of cancer, attendees had the chance to step beyond the conference room and into the research labs. There, they explored the spaces where scientists study cancer at its most fundamental level and saw how discoveries move from the lab toward new possibilities for patients and families.

“Understanding what’s being done today and the progress that’s been made is really quite uplifting,” Burns said. “It’s giving people hope.”

As more people live longer with and beyond cancer, the need for caregivers will only continue to grow. Care for the Cancer Caregiver highlights the Center’s commitment to building a stronger support system for the unsung heroes of the cancer journey.

What Caregiving Demands, and What It Gives Back

What makes the Care for the Cancer Caregiver event resonate is not just what is offered, but who fills the room. Every conversation is shaped by people carrying their own version of caregiving, each bringing experiences that others in the room immediately understand.

For Victor Manns, that understanding comes from experiencing cancer from both sides. The pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church first navigated his own prostate cancer diagnosis before later supporting his wife through breast cancer. Years later, those experiences continue shaping how he cares for others, both within his family and throughout his community, where he encourages people to think more openly about the realities caregivers carry every day.

“One of the things I try to encourage people to do is ask the caregiver, ‘how are you doing’? Caregiving will consume everything and consume your time. You have to find some time, make some time, and don’t feel guilty about it,” said Manns.

For Carolina Morales, caregiving arrived while she prepared for a career in medicine. As a first-year medical student at MCW and co-president of the MCW Oncology Interest Group, Morales understood cancer from a scientific and clinical perspective. But when her father became seriously ill, she quickly found herself navigating the emotional realities of caregiving in ways medical training alone could never prepare her for. She became his full-time caregiver through long hospital stays, difficult conversations, and the unexpected role reversal that comes with caring for a parent.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that asking for help is not just beneficial to the caregiver, but it can also open up a way for other people to be involved,” said Morales.

Jen Murray, MPH, founder and CEO of High Vibe Healing Collective, first attended the event in 2025 while caring for loved ones through overlapping diagnoses, treatment, grief, and recovery. What began as a search for support became something much deeper: a place where they felt understood during one of the most uncertain periods of their life. Returning this year as a speaker, Murray brought that experience back to others still finding their way through caregiving, sharing what they have learned about resilience, connection, and making space to care for yourself alongside the people you love.

“This is a space like no other, where we feel like we can actually be seen, heard, appreciated, and valued. A lot of times the work you’re doing as a caregiver is pretty thankless and unnoticed since typically people are worried about the person you’re caring for—you get sort of forgotten in the equation,” said Murray.

Together, these voices reflect what the event continues to create: a community where caregivers can find connection, understanding, and support from people who truly know what the journey feels like.

Join the effort to support cancer caregivers by contacting Melanie Burns.