Jack's Caregiver Coalition

10/07/2026

Not everything carried at Carry That Weight went in a rucksack.

In this week's What's He Carrying? Wednesday, Kyle catches up with Mila Meysembourg, who kept stopping along the trail to pick up acorns and tuck them into bags. The plan? Take them home and paint them, just like last year: cows, horses, police officers, firefighters, you name it. By the end of the walk, Kyle was asking if he could join in. (Keep an eye out for a peek at the finished products.)

Everyone on that trail was carrying something different, and that's kind of the point. There's room for everyone in this community. Kyle's still carrying the weight needed to reach our goal of 128 Carriers on his monthly rucks, and every new Carrier takes a pound off his pack.

Lighten Kyle's load: jackscaregiverco.org/carry-that-weight

10/06/2026

How do you let go of the life you had planned?

That question rose to the top at last week's Caregiver Klatch, where 10 caregivers gathered at Urban Growler Brewing Company and rallied around one of our own whose caregiving season is changing.

Much of the conversation centered on grief. Not only for the people we care for, but for the lives we once had, or thought we would.

Nobody left with a solution. They left breathing a little deeper and feeling a little more like themselves.

Klatch meets the first Thursday of every month. If you're a caregiver who could use a room like this, reach out to Jeff at [email protected].

10/01/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To everyone battling breast cancer right now: we see your strength, and we're in your corner.

And behind every fighter is someone holding the line. Driving to appointments. Sitting through chemo. Keeping life running while quietly carrying their own worries.

Caregivers, you don't have to carry it alone. We're here for you.

Tag a caregiver who's been holding the line.

09/30/2026

"I was pretty certain that I was not a support group kind of guy."

Joe Sullivan felt that way when a social worker first suggested Jack's. He's caring for his wife, Karen, through stage four pancreatic cancer, and he pictured a room full of guys feeling sorry for themselves. Instead, he found men who set their own agenda, never judge, and show up for each other no matter how different their lives are. Joe couldn't make it to Carry That Weight, so in this week's What's He Carrying? Wednesday, Kyle shares his words for him.

Joe's team, Sully's Sojourner's, set out to raise $2,500 and raised over $10,000. As Joe puts it, that money becomes hundreds of acts of kindness, from one-on-one support and gatherings to getting the word out about Jack's. And it's working: four times as many men are reaching out this year.

We're still working toward 128 Carriers, and Kyle's carrying the difference (currently 79 pounds) on at least 6 miles of rucks a month. Become a Carrier and his pack gets 1 pound lighter, or join him and carry some of the weight yourself. First ruck is this Friday, October 2nd, 9am, 3 miles at Lebanon Hills in Eagan. Meet at the Jensen Lake trailhead.

Join us: jackscaregiverco.org/carry-that-weight

09/29/2026

It's 2am. You're worried about the person you love. A chatbot can't tell you "me too." Another caregiver can.

We saw this ad from Chase and it stuck with us. People don't need more machines to talk to. They need more places to talk to each other.

For the men caring for a wife, a parent, or a partner, that's especially true. Most of them are carrying this quietly, and no app is going to ask how they're holding up.

Caregivers don't need more spaces full of machines to talk to. They need more spaces full of caregivers to talk to. That's what we create, so no man cares alone.

youtube.com/watch?v=txJTKJcVRLE

JPMorgan Chase, "Places for People" (2026)Song: rendition of Al G...

09/25/2026

September 19th has come and gone, but it left something behind — a community that shows up for each other.

To everyone who showed up: whether you rucked, became a Carrier, led a team, gave, or just stood on the sidelines cheering people on, thank you. Every one of you made that day what it was.

To everyone who couldn't be there in person but still showed up for us: sharing posts, becoming a Carrier from home, spreading the word. Distance didn't stop you from carrying this too.

And to our sponsors: your support made the whole day possible.

No one carries this alone. You proved that on September 19th.

09/23/2026

The event is over, but the weight isn't going anywhere yet.

At Carry That Weight, Kyle spoke about why we do this: putting down isolation, and picking up the relationships, compassion, and community that actually sustain us. That day left us fully convinced this is our fundraising future, and Kyle didn't carry it alone, our incredible team leaders made it happen.

The honest update: thanks to all of you, we raised 25 times more than last year, but we still didn't hit our goal of 128 Carriers. So starting in October, Kyle will carry the pounds still needed (currently 79) on at least 6 miles of rucks every month, until we get there. Become a Carrier and the weight drops by 1 pound. You can also help by joining him and carrying some of the literal weight. His first ruck: October 2nd, 9am, 3 miles at Lebanon Hills in Eagan, rain or shine, meeting at the Jensen Lake trailhead.

Testimonials and trail interviews from the ruckers are coming in the weeks ahead.

Become a Carrier: jackscaregiverco.org/carry-that-weight

09/22/2026

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.

This month, we're recognizing the women facing this diagnosis and the resilience it takes to fight it, every single day.

We're also recognizing the men carrying a quieter weight — the husbands, sons, and partners who rarely get asked how they're holding up, but who are there for every appointment, every setback, and every ordinary day in between that still takes everything they have.

At Jack's Caregiver Coalition, we exist for exactly this. If you're caring for someone with ovarian cancer, or you know a man who is, encourage him to reach out. We're here so no man cares alone.

09/17/2026

To our caregiver community:

After thoughtful consideration, we've decided to shift CaregiverCON's format for 2026. Rather than a standalone event, we're bringing an expanded caregiver experience to Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota's Cancer Survivorship Conference on April 24, 2027, with a full Caregiver Track built just for you.

Why the change? It means reaching more caregivers alongside survivors, with the same workshops, resources, and support you count on, just as part of something bigger.

We're still here for you too — 1-on-1 support, group respite outings, discussion groups, and playbooks. And our partners have just as much to offer:
→ The Negative Space — bi-monthly virtual support groups, the In Sickness podcast, and individual coaching; visit https://www.thenegativespace.life/
→ Masonic Cancer Center — patient and caregiver support, clinical trial info, and care partner navigation; visit http://survivorship.umn.edu

Registration details coming soon. Thank you for being part of this community and see you in 2027!

09/17/2026

This is it, the final What's He Carrying? Wednesday before our big event this Saturday, September 19th.

Kyle's carrying 56 pounds this week, including a few he's honoring on principle after one supporter pulled a pretty good prank on him. But here's the real news: we've raised $67,000 for this campaign. Last year, it was $3,000.

Kyle says the difference came down to finally finding the courage, after two years, to be honest about what Jack's was really going through. If there's a part of your life you haven't said out loud to someone you trust, we hope this nudges you to. People can't help until they know.

Join us Saturday. Let's get off our screens for a bit and just be together, in person, in community.

There's still time to become a Carrier before Saturday. Any amount. Every Carrier adds a pound.

Join us: jackscaregiverco.org/carry-that-weight