One in a Million: Stephen Stewart

Stephen Stewart is a regular attendee of Jack’s Caregiver Klatch. He is “a forever and always caregiver” for his wife of 49 years, Judy. I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen at a community table event a couple of years back. He became a member of Jack’s a short while later and views Jack’s monthly Caregiver Klatch as “respite.” This is not your typical assessment of a support group, but Stephen’s caregiver story isn’t a typical one either. 

Stephen’s Caregiving journey started in 2017, three years after their retirement. He and Judy traveled to Norway and South Carolina and expected to do more. Judy was diagnosed with jaw cancer in July 2017, had major surgery, and was cancer-free until 2021. Once again Stephen was in a caregiver role with a reoccurrence in the jaw. Shortly following another major surgery Judy broke her hip and was in rehab for three months. Stephen includes becoming a “wound care specialist” as part of a long list of caregiving duties.

Judy is now once again cancer-free, and Stephen is still very much a caregiver. “She has her good days and bad days, but you just do the best you can, take one day at a time, and keep on keeping on.”

I’m happy to know Stephen, and if you have an opportunity to meet him, you’ll hear some great stories told with an almost imperceptible dry wit.