Why I continue to write about my experience as a caregiver

“Nobody is reading any of those essays you caregivers write,” a healthcare provider once told me.

The following week, a stranger emailed me: “Your column is my go-to ritual whenever I am seated in the waiting room for my chemo.”

That email served as a huge reminder to me, like a lightning strike on a dark night that brightens up our surroundings. The stories that caregivers tell don’t just matter; they actually save people.

It’s not easy to write down our feelings. But then again, anything worth doing takes effort to accomplish.

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As a caregiver to my mum, who’s living with myeloma, writing can sometimes feel like screaming into a void. But I still do it.

Here are three reasons why I continue to write about caregiving:

1. The email that changed everything: As a freelance writer, I’m used to getting emails from readers. Sometimes I reply, and other times, I choose to ignore them. But on rare occasions, an email grabs me by my guts and doesn’t let me go. I’m forced to read it repeatedly and, in rare cases, print it out.

2. The science of “me, too”: I read a research study about how sharing our pain fosters healing. In other words, when we feel hurt or experience pain, sharing our burden with someone else (or through a column, a journal, or even music) can provide relief and healing.

Scientific studies continue to demonstrate the immense power of storytelling, revealing that it reduces isolation. However, the proof that no lab could capture is in the emails I continue to receive.

3. Your story is someone’s survival guide: Never underestimate the power of your words, especially when they’re intentional, motivational, and directed to a specific audience.

You might never know the impact of your words until you receive an email or text message from someone who was moved by what you wrote.

Here’s a question for you: What was your “lifeline” moment? Was it a quote, a song, or a Google search you performed at midnight that kept you afloat? Feel free to write it in the comments section, or perhaps send it as an email. You never know, it could be featured and become a source of inspiration for someone out there in desperate need of hope, light, and encouragement.

Don’t undermine the power of sharing your story. You’re throwing a rope into the dark whenever you hit “send” on your truth. Someone will reach out and grab it. Someone will survive because you spoke out.

So continue writing. Continue whispering. The world needs your light — yes, yours — more than you can ever imagine.

Note: Rare Cancer News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Rare Cancer News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to rare cancer.