Table 2.

Benefits and challenges of program participation

	Guides	Partners
Benefits	An opportunity to give back Improved communication and listening skills Provided valuable support rather than “typically speaking more of my own experience” Helped deal with their own cancer experience Meet and engage with more cancer survivors Boosted confidence about helping inmeaningful way Supportive environment to serve in	Rated positively Felt supported Conversations focused on their needs Able to share their hopes, fears, and concerns about cancer and/or caregiving Received coping resources Suggest matching on cancer type was not a priority
Challenges	Though telephone support ok; some expressed preference for face-to-face contact Sense of loss in cases when assigned Partners died and no contact with their families to share grief Some experienced a wait time for a partner	Wanted more frequent contacts Interest in face-to-face contact Some experienced a wait time between match confirmation and first contact with Partner Some felt challenged finding a balance between listening and sharing their own cancer experiences