Join NBTS’s campaign to raise awareness about the importance of biomarker testing and clinical trials for patients with brain tumors.
READ MORECaregiver Support Conversations is an online support group that offers care partners of patients with brain tumors a welcoming space where they can have honest, supportive discussions about the feelings and emotions that accompany their experience.
Volunteer co-facilitators Liz Piña and Kelly Theberge host this monthly support group for caregivers currently supporting a person living with a brain tumor to connect with each other on topics that matter to them.
These online support group conversations are held on the first Monday of each month from 7-8 p.m. ET/4-5 p.m. PT. After you sign up with your email, you will receive a confirmation email and it will allow us to stay in touch with you. For more information, see our privacy policy.
Liz Piña’s husband Julio was diagnosed with ependymoma in 2018 when they were both 34 years old. In the years since, she has navigated a wide range of challenges such as career balance, fertility, researching clinical trials and treatment options, integrative medicine, changes in her husband’s physical and speech capabilities, and shifting personal relationships. She understands on a deep level the rollercoaster of being a caregiver or care partner to a patient with a brain tumor, including the unique challenges presented to adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors and caregivers. Liz has benefited greatly from her own participation in caregiver support groups, which she says have brought truly incredible humans into her life, and she’s excited to participate in facilitating that experience for others.
Being a caregiver for my husband is both the biggest challenge and biggest inspiration of my life — it has led me to do things I never would have imagined. I am honored to facilitate this group for other brain tumor caregivers, which provides a safe space to have open and honest conversations with others who understand their experiences in a way most people can’t.
Elizabeth Piña
On her 16th birthday, Kelly was informed that her father had been diagnosed with oligodendroglioma. Kelly dedicated herself to supporting her mother in caring for her father, her sister with Down syndrome, and her younger brother, all while beginning her college journey. Kelly has a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and works in acute rehabilitation, specializing in the neuro population.
Kelly’s experiences as a caregiver and occupational therapist, along with her deep passion for raising awareness and uniting individuals affected by brain tumors, have reinforced her belief in the importance of having a support group — a place to connect with people who get it and understand your story without needing to be told.
When I first was introduced to the National Brain Tumor Society, this community felt like family — people who can understand your journey more than anyone else, to finally not feel so alone. Through this support group, I hope to provide a sounding board, resources, or just be a person that connects caregivers who are going through the same experience.
Kelly Theberge