Spot: Holding Someone Through Cancer, Sean Orr

Send us Fan MailSPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we Spotlight a very personal story from Sean Orr.Cancer doesn’t just happen to the person with the diagnosis. It happens to the partner making the calls, the spouse lying awake, the carer holding it together in public and falling apart in private.We sit down with Sean Orr the man behind Menshare Listening Group, speaking not as a facilitator or coach but as a husband supporting his wife Lise Orr through a rare, incurable cancer that moves towards multiple myeloma. Sean walks us through the moment their world changed, the long stretch of uncertainty between symptoms and answers, and the brutal reality of treatment. We also talk about the part that rarely gets named: the hidden trauma of caring, the pressure to “stay strong”, and what it costs when you run on autopilot for too long.From relationship strain and the loss of normal routines to the fear of what comes next, Sean keeps the conversation grounded and practical. He shares coping strategies for caregiver stress and carer burnout, including honest self-check-ins, counselling, hypnotherapy, safe ways to release emotion, and why talking to the right people can be life-saving. We also signpost real support for cancer carers across Sussex & Surrey, including Macmillan, carer services, The Olive Tree, complementary therapies, and local listening circles.If you’re caring for someone with cancer, or you love someone who is, subscribe, share this with a friend, so more carers can find the support they deserve. THANK YOU.Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.