Event topic: Holding It All Together: Supporting Carers Through Burnout
When someone close to us is diagnosed with a brain tumour, our instinct is often to put all of our energy into supporting them. While this comes naturally for many carers, the emotional, physical, practical and financial impact of caring for a loved one can be overwhelming. Many people unexpectedly find themselves in the role of a carer, with little preparation and no clear roadmap for what lies ahead.
We’re often told that we need to “look after ourselves”, but anyone who has cared for someone with a brain tumour knows this is far easier said than done. Between appointments, treatments, work, family responsibilities and the emotional toll of watching someone you love face brain cancer, your own wellbeing can quickly become the last priority. Yet looking after yourself isn’t selfish, it’s essential if you’re to continue supporting your loved one.
This webinar, presented in collaboration between Brain Tumours Online and Peace of Mind Foundation, brings together healthcare professionals and lived experience to openly discuss the realities of carer burnout. We’ll explore why caring for someone with a brain tumour is uniquely challenging, how to recognise the signs of emotional and physical burnout, practical strategies to help protect your own wellbeing, when to seek professional support, and the services available to assist you throughout the journey.
We have a lot to cover in this webinar, but if you have a specific question for our panel, please include it when registering for the webinar. Depending on numbers of questions received, we may not be able to answer all submitted questions during the webinar timeslot.
About our host and panel members:
- Dr Sarah Bray is the Project Manager for Brain Tumours Online, and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne.
- Bec Mallett founded Peace of Mind Foundation in 2013 following the loss of her 32-year-old sister-in-law to brain cancer, an experience that inspired her to ensure no family faces this devastating disease without support. Alongside her professional role as Founder and Head of Impact & Engagement, Bec has spent the past 5 years caring for her husband Matt, who is living with end stage brain cancer, giving her a deeply personal understanding of the emotional, practical and often overwhelming challenges faced by carers and families. Combining this lived experience with more than 20 years in the not-for-profit sector, Bec is a passionate advocate dedicated to improving support, quality of life and survivorship for people affected by brain cancer.
- Ella Sexton is Senior Clinical Psychologist at Peter Mac and Lecturer at Deakin University. She leads the psychological service for carers within the Peter Mac Wellbeing Centre, where she works with partners, family members and friends supporting a loved one with cancer. She is also the co-chair of the Cancer Carers special interest group within the Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group.
- Melanie Davies is a Client Support Specialist for Peace of Mind Foundation. Melanie has over 17 years of experience in palliative care and oncology nursing.
Please note: these webinars are for education purposes only and should not be taken as individual medical advice. Consult with your healthcare team to find out what approach is best for you.
Video:
The webinar was recorded live on 10th August 2026. The recording is now available to watch. If you have feedback about the video or have topics to suggest for a future webinar, please complete this short webinar video feedback survey.
Additional relevant resources:
During the webinar, our panel members mentioned some resources, websites, books and apps. They said they will also follow up to send through some additional resources. We will provide a list with links (when available) below.
Peace of Mind Foundation:
- National advocacy service (NAS)
- Support groups include some in-person groups and online groups, including some specifically for carers.
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Note: Peace of Mind Foundation services are primarily focused on providing financial, emotional and practical support to patients who have been diagnosed with a primary brain tumour. Whilst their financial services are only available to those diagnosed with malignant brain cancer; their retreats, support groups, National Advocacy Service, etc are available to all primary brain tumour types and grades. They are based in Victoria, however, still offer numerous nationwide services.
Other Counselling/mental health services for carers:
- Carer Gateway – lots of great resources, plus they offer 6 free counselling sessions for carers.
- Visit your GP to discuss setting up a mental health care plan.
- APS Find a Psychologist website to locate a psychologist in your area with the speciality you are looking for.
Information/resources:
- Cancer Mind Care: Carer and Support people
- Gather my crew – practical app to manage requests and offers for help
- Carers Australia – the national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers
Services for supporting kids:
Information for supporting kids when their parent has cancer:
- Cancer Council: Talking with Kids about Cancer (Booklet)
- Cancer Council: Talking with Kids about Cancer – Advanced Cancer and when the Cancer wont go away (Booklet).
Books for children:
- Bec mentioned some books for children to help them understand what’s happening. We will compile a list and add it here soon.