Making It Okay to Not Be Okay

One of the reasons The Caregivers Honors Foundation exists is to create space for patients and families to express gratitude for the people who helped them through cancer care. Those moments of support often happen quietly, but they leave a lasting impact.

Recently, we received a nomination that reminded us how important emotional support can be during a cancer journey.

A patient wrote to recognize their therapist, Tim, who helped them navigate a difficult diagnosis.

This is what they shared:

"Tim has been my therapist for the last year. I can't imagine navigating my last cancer diagnosis without him. I will always believe that you should get a therapist the same time you get an oncologist if you don't already have one. Unfortunately, it's usually not a package deal.

I will forever be grateful that I found Tim when I did. He allows me to be myself and say a lot of the scary things about cancer that you don't want to say to anyone. He even occasionally laughs at my dark humor and makes it okay for me not to be okay with him."

Cancer care often focuses on treatments, appointments and medical outcomes. But patients know that healing also depends on something less visible. It depends on the people who make space for fear, honesty, humor, and humanity along the way.

Therapists like Tim provide something that many patients need but do not always receive: a safe place to say the things that are hardest to say.

We are honored to recognize Tim through this nomination and grateful to the patient who took the time to share their story.

Every nomination we receive reminds us that cancer care is not just about medicine. It is also about compassion, presence and the people who help carry the emotional weight of the journey.

If someone made a difference in your cancer experience, we invite you to share your story through a nomination.

Your words help ensure that the people who show up for patients are seen, honored and remembered.