Being Brett’s wife and caregiver was a complicated role, and it strained my nerves. It was hard to simply rest my head on his shoulder the way I used to, or to express my own need for emotional intimacy and comfort when the gravity of his illness loomed large. I bounced back quickly from hurt feelings because there was no choice but to be present when we our time together as a family was diminishing. Every moment mattered.

One of the major themes dominating health care discussions today is the fact that healthcare costs in the United States are proving unsustainable. Practices known as utilization management (UM) are one of the major ways the high cost of health care has been addressed. The Cancer Policy Institute at the CSC will be releasing a series of blogs aimed at educating patients about different UM practices and techniques. The upcoming blogs will contain information that patients need to know, including how that particular technique impacts access to care, as well as advocacy opportunities to address those barriers to care. Read this first blog in the series to learn more about UM, the different practices and techniques, and how CSC is fostering conversations about UM.

Six years into her husband's cancer diagnosis, Nancy Sharp felt cancer's toll on their marriage and children. Like many caregivers, she learned to cope and adapt, even as Brett's brain tumor progressed and treatment options failed.