My wife, who has been living with cancer for over 4 years, received some troubling news about our cancer journey. This isn't uncommon for those of us in the cancer world and there's actually a term for it: Scan Day. Despite what the name might imply, Scan Day isn't the scan itself that causes stress, it has more to do with the day the results are shared with the patient. Unfortunately, the all-too-often result of those scans contain depressing news for cancer patients, caregivers and families - and the receipt of that news creates a great deal of anxiety.
Our scan day results just came back...  Chris Meuleners: happiness, sadness, hope, despair, and places between. Caring for his wife, Amanda, who has been fighting AML Leukemia for over two years. Like the flip of a coin, never knowing if it's heads or tails, and living like it landed on its side.
Tony Peterson: Between Seasons
Tony Peterson loves all things outdoors and nothing beats duck hunting in the fall. To him, true beauty is a crisp fall morning, with the sun coming up over the swamp and the geese migrating South, forming patterns across the blue and white sky.
He’s preparing for something he never thought he’d have to prepare for: the passing of his beloved wife, Lynne, who is in the final stages of pancreatic cancer. She is the love of his life, his most cherished friend, who he not only loves but likes and respects and understands and cares for deeply – more deeply than he’s ever cared for anyone. 
Through the tragedy of a terminal cancer diagnosis, the desperation of multiple failed treatments, the reality of facing their children with the truth of it all, a mission and hope shines through.
It has been 50+ months since my wife's diagnosis with cancer and a lot of things have changed during that time. Yes, there's been a lot of undesired changes that cancer-goers, caregivers, friends and family must traverse on the cancer journey -- but there are also good things that happen as well.
This blog post is about the GOOD things...
On an unusually chilly August morning, 5 brave souls met at the shores of Lake Minnetonka for what it was to be a totally new and exciting experience (as usual as it happens with Jack’s). None of us knew exactly what we were in for but were willing to give it a go. That kind of feeling is very familiar to all of us at Jack’s. We all face a very unknown and uncertain present and future when we deal with our loved one’s cancer, but we face them head on.  Our crew in August 2019 all feeling relieved they survived our Water Jetpack event! Michael Greene, Bringing The New ‘Jack-to-Jack’ Program To Life - But Getting So Much More!
Michael Greene was thrown into caregiving for his wife, Sarah, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. At the time, he had no peers he could relate to; no one he could talk to about what he was going through.
Michael Greene
It was 4 years before Jack’s Caregiver Coalition had formed, so he didn’t have the cool events to go to, where he could shoot the shit with guys who were in that cancer-initiated group.
They inspire us: Cindy Bartlett on her mission, Priceless4Purpose
Meet Cindy Bartlett. Her purpose is priceless.
Our weekend at Mystic Views B & B – no agendas, no stresses, no expenses. To us, it was Priceless!
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ABOUT JACK'SWe're a non-profit on a mission to improve the way guys think, feel, and act in their role as a cancer caregiver. Our hospitality brings caregivers together, and together they improve.
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Suite 1100 Bloomington, MN 55435 (612) 547-6929 contactus@jackscaregiverco.org |
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