Words From Our Community

It’s hard to put into words how I felt supporting Dad through stage 4 throat cancer. As his primary carer, while also being a mum to a five-year-old at the time, it was a lot to cope with. Using The Other Side journal gave me a space at the end of each day to put down how I was really feeling, which in turn helped me focus on what needed to be done during the day.

It also helped me let go of the guilt I felt for having so many emotions. Whether it was anger, confusion, sadness, or worry, the journal helped me realise that those feelings were okay and that I wasn’t alone in them.

The glossaries of common terms and scans were incredibly helpful too. They allowed me to better understand what Dad was going through and to prepare myself for what was coming. Even now, over a year on from Dad being cancer-free, we’re still talking about how the treatment has affected him and dealing with the ongoing side effects. Being able to come back to the journal has helped me understand the process more clearly — not just so I could support him, but so I could support myself as well.

I’m so fortunate to have seen Dad come out the other side, but I also feel incredibly grateful to have gained a better understanding of myself and my own strength through working with this journal at a time when I needed it most.