Where it all began

It’s crazy to think this community focused on giving light grew from the darkest moments of my life. A little blog called Cocktails & Chemo became my safe space when my world was falling apart. My fiance, Joe Clark, was diagnosed with colon cancer two days before his 28th birthday and two months before our wedding. As the world of cancer and chemotherapy swirled around us, we found a place to pause by sharing our stories with our virtual friends. 

The more we’d share, the more we’d connect with people all across the country who felt the same- scared, alone and invisible. This story followed us from our wedding, through surgeries, the birth of our daughter, good and bad news days, and finally to Joe’s death at 31 years old in 2014. 

I didn’t know where I would turn or how I would survive, so with our daughter on my hip, I began my crusade to care for the often forgotten caregivers, a role I now knew all too well. 

In 2021, we officially changed our name from Cocktails & Chemo to Cocktails & Caregivers to give all caregivers a place to feel seen and cared for.  Whether you’re a caregiver, a worried family member, a friend, a donor, or just like strong cocktails and strong people-- we hope this little piece of the internet gives you courage.