SPEECH AS CAREGIVER

A pleasant morning to each and every one. I am Mary Grace Camp. I am born and raised
in Sampaloc, Manila. Part of my 30s, I am a caregiver to my Mom and Dad as well as my late
husband. My dad suffered from stroke last January of this year. My Mom suffered also from
heart disease for almost 2 years now and my husband was diagnosed with cancer of Gastro
Intestinal Disease and died last November of 2012.
My only admission ticket today is that I was a caregiver and, in many ways, hope to God
that I still am. Today, my heart still aches for my parents and my late husband and I cherish their
legacy of love, courage, and dignity. I do whatever I can for friends and their friends when I
called upon to lend an ear or advice about everything from nursing home placement to dealing
with a well-spouse or parent who refuses to accept medical treatment. Caregiving taught me how
to express more compassion, be more spiritual and grateful for the everyday things in my life, as
well as appreciating the real values in life.
There are many ways to be a caregiver. For some, it may mean providing 24-hour care.
For others, it may mean researching medical information or arranging for help. Each situation is
different, and no one scenario applies to all people with cancer and their families. Moreover, as
the disease and treatment changes, so will the caregiver's role. Caregivers may live in the home,
share responsibilities, or care from a distance.
For me, the role of a caregiver will often vary depending on the situation and is likely to
change over time. Caregiving can be both rewarding and challenging. The challenges of
caregiving may include; physical and emotional stress, less time for personal and family life, the
need to balance job and caregiving responsibilities, financial stress, lack of privacy and the
feelings of isolation and loneliness.
There are also joy in caregiving. While it is important to address the hardships and
obstacles to providing care, it is also helpful to focus on some of the fulfilling aspects of
caregiving like Caregiving shows the person who is ill that you are committed to providing as
much help and support as you can. Caregiving makes a difference to the quality of life and wellbeing of the person who is ill. Caregiving gives you a unique opportunity to develop or renew a
relationship with the person who is ill and Caregiving helps set a tone of respect and caring for
other family members, regardless of their situations.
As a Caregiver, we should remember to take care of ourselves while providing care for
the person with cancer. Caregivers are typically family members or friends who provide
important physical, practical, and emotional support to a person with cancer. Caregivers may
have a range of responsibilities on a daily or as-needed basis, including providing support and
encouragement, giving medications, helping manage symptoms and side effects, coordinating
medical appointments and providing transportation, assisting with meals, helping with
housekeeping, and handling insurance and billing issues.
I heard that Filipino women predominate in Caregiver Programs in most countries like
Canada, Israel and other countries. Filipino nannies and caregivers are in huge demand around
the world because of their working experiences in the field of caregiving, the high academic

achievements they possess, their dedication and their strong work ethic. I am very proud to say
as a Filipino, we caregivers possess nursing qualifications, have extensive experience caring for
the elderly and have worked in the field of special needs and in which today the governments
actions via legislation, procedures and regulations continue to positively affect the employment
conditions of caregivers abroad.
There are also some problems occurred as caregivers in abroad. More occurrences of
exploitation began to surface: complaints of violence, sexual harassment, working all day
without rest, caring for the family members living with the patient, and more. There were also
incidents of psychiatric hospitalization of caregivers being treated for depression and nervous
breakdowns. And because of this, caregivers labor rights were now enforcing protection laws
which regulate payment for overtime, rest hours and vacation, weekly rest, social rights, etc.
Being a caregiver allows me to put forth my energy and drive into being as proactive as
possible to ensure as many good days and good memories with my loved one. Because of that, I
am honored to be called a caregiver.
Thank you very much and God bless us all.