Share the Care, Share the Love

One day in 1988, eighteen women received a call for help. Each was asked to attend a meeting where they would learn about the needs of Susan Farrow, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Susan was a friend to some members of the group. To others, she was a co-worker. To some, she was an acquaintance.

Of the eighteen women who received that call, twelve women showed up. Two of those attending were Sheila Warnock and Cappy Capossela.

Working together and based on Susan's needs, the twelve women formed a team to lend help in whatever way was needed --  housekeeping, shopping, meals, laundry, bed changes, transportation, errands - all the things that become burdensome if not impossible when one is living with a serious illness.

 They offered their help but even more, they coordinated their schedules, skills and time to form a team which could give support to each other as much as to Susan.

While Susan received the full benefit of having a team of friends lending their support and love, the team which became to be known as "Susan's Funny Family" came to realize that it was possible to see to it that "every job will be done and no one person will have to do it alone."

 Sheila Warnock has described her participation in that team and her experiences with Susan as a life-changing experience. She and her friend, Cappy Capossela partnered as authors of  Share the Care: How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who Is Seriously Ill ( Fireside Books, Simon and Schuster 2004).

In the book, the women describe how it is possible to " take a group of ordinary individuals (comprised of friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances) and turn them into a 'caregiver family' to provide individuals and families with the help they need to meet the daily challenges of caregiving."

The book includes instructions as to how to create a team as  well as how to maintain good communication and how to sustain a team's caregiving efforts even when facing difficult experiences and emotions.

Share the  Care: How to Organize a Group to Care for Someone Who Is Seriously Ill can be purchased from  www.amazon.com

Share the Care  www.sharethecare.org offers more details about the book as well as an extensive listing of hyperlinks to resources and organizations ranging from national organizations focused on the cure and treatment of disease as well as organizations which provide financial assistance, respite services or caregiver support.