FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS  

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL FAMILIES CAREGIVERS MONTH!

Every year the President of the United States proclaims November to be National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month). It is designated as a time every year to thank, support, educate and celebrate more than 50 million family caregivers across the country ... READ MORE!

This page is dedicated to the families and caregivers of brain tumor survivors. To each of you I give you a Gold Star!   As difficult as it is being a brain tumor survivor, it is just as difficult being a family member or a caregiver. HOPE With Support wants to thank, support, educate, and advocate for family caregivers. HOPE With Support, along with numerous national organizations, major corporations and community-based groups around the country, will celebrate National Family Caregivers Month (NFC Month) in November to thank and support our nation’s family caregivers.

NFC Month is organized each year by the National Family Caregivers Association, a grass roots organization whose mission is to improve the overall quality of life of family caregivers and their loved ones.

Send in the name of your family caregiver so we can list them with their Gold Star as our way of saying "Thank You"!

CAREGIVERS 2007-2008

 Kelly Dayton - Mother to "Angel" Marci Dayton

 Robert "Bob" Grim, Jr. - husband of Judy Grim

Stephen "Greg" Loew, husband of BT survivor Sandra Wyatt

Dee Livernois - Wife of Brain Tumor Survivor - Dean Livernois

Marie Gimpel - Wife of BT survivor Robert Gimpel

Lisa Kidd - Wife of BT survivor (Gliboblastoma) Dan Kidd

Gwen Gesswein - Wife of BT survivor (AAIII) Guy Gesswein

Jim Thomas and Juana Mora - husband and mother of Cristina Thomas, GBM tumor survivor

Stephanie Wilson caregiver for Alison Wilson

Tanya Braatz - Mom to "Angel" Cole Fisher

Eric Braatz - Stepdad to "Angel" Cole Fisher

"Add Your Caregiver's Name Here"

CAREGIVERS WEB SITES

Brain Tumor Caregivers
A special interest online community for caregivers of brain tumor patients facilitated through The Healing Exchange

BRAINTRUST

Caregiver Training

Caring For Caregivers

Family Caregiver Alliance

Family Doctor

National Family Caregivers Association

Ten Ways to Say Thanks for Being There and Cultivating a Grateful Heart
By Mary Beth Sammons

Here are 10 tips for saying thanks and cultivating a grateful heart:

1. Be grateful and recognize the things others have done to help you.

2. When you say "Thank you" tell the person specifically what it is you appreciate and why you appreciate it.

3 .Post a “thank you to all” on your Care Pages; and/or send individual emails to those on your CP community.

4. Send a hand-written thank you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.

5. Think thoughts of gratitude - two or three good things that happened today – and notice a calm settle through your head, at least for a moment. It activates a part of the brain that floods the body with endorphins, or feel-good hormones.

6. Remember the ways your life has been made easier or better because of others’ efforts. Be aware of the good things, large and small, going on around you and acknowledge them.

7. Keep a gratitude journal or set aside time each day or evening to list the things/people you’re grateful for today. The list may start out short, but will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.

9. Being grateful shakes you out of self-absorption and helps you recognize those who’ve done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude continues to draw those people into your sphere.

9. Remember this: “When you learn, teach, when you get, give.” – Maya Angelou.

10. Join forces to do good. If you have survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.