New to this? Start with the starter pack
An orientation for the first days and weeks: the basics, preparing for appointments, and questions to ask the care team.
Start here →Patients & Families
Caregivers Hub
Information and practical support for people caring for someone with pancreatic cancer in Canada.
You may be coordinating appointments, managing meals, handling paperwork and worrying about someone you love — all at once. This hub is organized around your situation: what is happening, what to do next, where to get help, and how to look after yourself along the way.
If you need help right now
Medical emergency: call 911.
In crisis, or worried about your own safety: call or text 988 anywhere in Canada, any time — free, confidential support.
For home-care and palliative-care contacts in your province or territory, see the provincial and territorial guides.
Start here
Navigating the diagnosis
A guide to the first weeks after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis — for the person diagnosed and the people supporting them.
Read the guide →Patient resources
The full starting point for patients and families: information, provincial guides, testing, and practical help.
Browse patient resources →Understanding pancreatic cancer
What is pancreatic cancer?
A plain-language explanation of the disease, how it is found, and why care plans differ from person to person.
Understand the basics →Stages of pancreatic cancer
What the stages mean, how staging shapes treatment decisions, and the terms the care team will use.
Learn about stages →Glossary of terms
Plain definitions for the medical words that come up at appointments and in reports.
Look up a term →Day-to-day caregiving
Preparing your home for care
Moving to home care is a big step. How to set up the home, what to arrange, and what to expect as care moves in.
Prepare the home →Home care equipment, explained
A visual guide to the medical and assistive equipment used in home care — what each item does and how it helps with daily tasks, safety and comfort.
See the equipment guide →Nutrition, digestion & daily life
Eating with pancreatic cancer: appetite changes, digestion, pancreatic enzymes, and quality of life day to day.
Read about nutrition →Appointments and medical care
Understanding treatment options
Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, clinical trials and supportive care — explained in plain language so decisions are easier to follow.
Understand your options →Treatment options, in detail
The foundation's detailed guide to the treatments used for pancreatic cancer and when each is considered.
Explore treatments →When to seek a second opinion
Second opinions are a normal part of cancer care. When they help, how to ask, and what to bring.
About second opinions →Money, work, and practical help
Financial support
Drug-cost assistance, income benefits, employment information, and travel and accommodation help for Canadians facing pancreatic cancer.
Explore financial support →Port to Care travel grants
Our $500 travel grants for Atlantic Canadians who must travel for pancreatic cancer care or clinical trials.
About Port to Care →Legal resources
Advance care planning, patient rights, employment protections and insurance questions, explained for Canadian families.
See legal resources →Local services differ across the country — the provincial and territorial guides collect the contacts and programs where you live.
Looking after yourself
Mental & emotional support
The emotional weight of caregiving is real. Support for stress, fear, grief and uncertainty — during care and after loss.
Find emotional support →Virtual support groups
Support groups that meet online, so you can connect with other caregivers and families from wherever you are.
Find a group →Online communities
Forums and communities where caregivers share experiences, ask questions and support each other between appointments.
Browse communities →- Counselling — what counselling can offer patients, family members and caregivers, and how to find it.
- Palliative care and symptom support — what palliative care can help with, why to ask about it early, and support for the whole family.
- Mental health apps — apps for stress, anxiety and sleep during a difficult time.
- Heather's Picks: books on pancreatic cancer — reading that families have found helpful, chosen in Heather's memory.
- Pancreatic Cancer Canada — peer support and short-term counselling, delivered with Wellspring: call 1-877-499-9904.
- CancerConnection.ca — the Canadian Cancer Society's online community for patients, families and caregivers.
This hub is information, not medical advice. For medical questions, talk to your loved one's care team. Questions about anything here? Contact us.