Unpaid carers of people with cancer are a critical but too often invisible part of the health workforce and society at large. In Australia and globally, unpaid carers provide a vital range of supports to people affected by cancer. Despite their essential role, carers of people with cancer lack support for their caring duties and provide care without financial compensation and often at great cost to their own health and wellbeing.
With cancer cases on the rise, most of us will find ourselves either caring for someone with cancer, needing to be cared for, or both. It is more important than ever to understand and meet the needs of cancer carers so that they can continue to provide care and support for people living with cancer and enjoy good health and wellbeing themselves.
The law has a critical role to play in this. For example, the law plays a role in addressing issues carers face in the workplace and in accessing financial and other support services they need. Laws can also help shape community attitudes towards caring and help ensure that the human rights of carers are protected, respected and fulfilled.
This presentation will explore why law is relevant to improving the lives and livelihoods of unpaid cancers carers in Australia, how the law can be used to make visible and respond to the needs and rights of cancer carers, and how law in Australia can be improved for the betterment of cancer cancers with learnings from innovative laws in other countries.