Kelli Dunham couldn’t find an online support group for queer caregivers of people living with cancer, so she started her own. QueerCancerCare is for “all queer caregivers of folks with cancer…whether that person is your spouse, partner, mistress, best friend, shortstop on your softball team, parent, child, however you define family.”

You might be a queer caregiver of a person with cancer if…

You’ve had to explain to emergency room personnel that no, you’re not sisters, but yes you are family.

You’ve been tempted to write a love song for Zofran.

You’ve overheard your parents tell their neighbors “oh she’s just a little upset because her room-mate has cancer.”

You’re afraid that if one more person asks “what are you doing to take care of YOURSELF” you might commit an act of violence.

You’ve ever been mistaken for “the one with cancer” because people think your extremely short haircut looks like you are post-chemo.

You’ve ever yelled at hospital personnel “of course she’s on a lot of narcotics. She has cancer!”

You can find Maria on MySpace here and read her current call for essays on femme identity here. Pick up Queer Shorts, her new anthology, at MergePress.com.