According to data available on cancer patients and caregivers, of all the patients diagnosed with cancer, at least 50 percent will be cared for by a family member. Cancer Caregivers Strength for Caring points to a survey from the Journal of Family Nursing that provides insight into the life and unmet needs of a cancer caregiver.

Some of the information from the study reveals that 82 percent of cancer caregivers are women; 71 percent are married; 54 percent live with the patient; 47 percent are more than 50 years old and 36 percent reported care giving took more than 40 hours of time per week.

Cancer caregivers make certain the person they are caring for has everything they need and often take care of the cancer patient's normal daily tasks, errands and chores that the loved one with cancer might not be able to do for themselves while undergoing cancer surgery and treatments. What the study found was cancer caregivers do not take time to take care of themselves and the toll it takes on the caregiver can be negative and profound.

As a result of not prioritizing self-care, 70 percent of cancer caregivers reported taking between one to ten medications per day as their own health had suffered as a result of care giving. Cancer caregivers said they suffered financial difficulties as they frequently missed as many days of work as the family member with cancer. While 85 percent of caregivers reported feeling private resentment for being in the constant position of caregiver, 97 percent said their roles were important and 81 percent stated that they wanted to provide care and could not live with themselves if they did not assume the responsibilities of being a caregiver.

What this survey suggests is that the cancer caregiver is not receiving needed support and reprieve, or time off, from other family members who should step in and help carry out the responsibilities of being a caregiver -- or there is no one else to share the responsibilities.

In addition, there is a lack of adequate community-based support programs to address the psychological and physical stresses a caregiver suffers when caring for a loved one with cancer -- or if there are community programs for the caregiver they are not being made aware of the available resources.