14

In the field of cancer, in France, there are more than five million informal caregivers (ICs), that is, people who help someone close to them who is losing their autonomy with all or part of their daily tasks. Among these key caregivers, half of them express the desire for support in their role as an IC. The illness of a close friend or relative can have major repercussions on the physical and psychological health of ICs, as well as on their family and social and professional lives. In addition, ICs often share the same lifestyle as the person being cared for, put their own medical health and treatment on hold, and have, in certain cases, an increased risk of cancer. In response to this challenge, the Centre Léon Bérard (CLB) has set up a global and personalized program to support ICs as part of the patient care pathway. This includes a centralized contact facility that can listen to, inform, and provide guidance to ICs. Two consultations are proposed within the program: an IC consultation to assess the vulnerabilities of the IC according to four dimensions (physical health, psychological health, social needs, and information needs);and a preventive consultation enabling the IC to address modifiable risk factors for cancer (tobacco and alcohol use, excess weight, sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet, and exposure to UV rays) and to introduce personalized preventive measures to help the IC adopt a healthy lifestyle.This caregiver pathway began in January 2022 and the two types of consultation are currently being evaluated as part of research projects.