Who Cares for Cancer Patients’ Caregivers?
Matron speaks about the effects of having to deal with the severity of cancer patients.
Lenmed Randfontein Private Hospital’s unit matron Yvonne Mokawane, has spoken out about the effects of caring for those with cancer.
The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) recently released a media statement about the importance of caregivers’ mental health. The statement emphasised the effects of caring for cancer patients, taking International Cancer Survivors Day into account.
The Randfontein Herald spoke to a caregiver who usually takes care of cancer patients.
Yvonne has been working at Lenmed for almost three years. However, she has been taking care of patients with cancer for nearly 12 years. She explained that she works with the patients from the first day of being diagnosed up until the last day. She also administers chemotherapy to the patients and offers health education. She added that she relayed the patient’s needs to the doctor as well.
“I play a big role as emotional support to the patient. We as caregivers have to remember that the patient does not know what is going to happen,” she said.
Yvonne emphasised that she tends to grow closer to oncology patients as she cares for them. She described them as almost family. This affects Yvonne on an even more emotional level as it breaks her heart to see the patients’ health deteriorate, stating that ‘death is especially devastating’.
It is utterly challenging for Yvonne to care for these patients since, according to her, most of them are miners, causing a language barrier. She has since educated herself to better communicate with these patients.
“It truly affects me to see a patient my age or younger. Even if I see that there is no hope, I still have to give hope to the patient. Oncology and palliative nursing need compassion, expertise and dedication. In such sensitive cases, emotional maturity is vital to pull patients and family through,” Yvonne concluded.
