Dear Friends and Fellow Members:

I am writing to thank you so much for the numerous replies from members of the OCF community and willingess to participate in my research study on secondary stress in caregivers of persons with oral cancer.

In fact,I have received SO many messages that it has been a delighful, and almost full-time venture, to keep up with all of them!

Thanks, too, for sharing your stories and your personal feelings so graciously and freely. I know doing so can be painful and difficult but from what I have read so far, despite the often raw emotion, the replies are rich with sentiments about the stresses, joys, and sorrows of being a caregiver. I have been amazed and moved by what many have been through.My respect for you has heightened even more.

PLEASE, PLEASE-continue to contact me if you would like to participate in the study or pass my e-mail address ([email protected]) to anyone you know who is a caregiver for someone with oral cancer. They do not need to be an OCF member. I am still hoping for more participants and I will collect data through until the New Year.

Once again, please know how valuable your input is in helping me raise awareness about the difficulties caregivers face and the unique needs we have that the medical and nursing communities need to address more specifically.

This project is a real passion for me and I could not see it to completion without the ongoing kindness and support from all of you.

Best,

Kim

(KCDC)