Overview

This is a single center single-arm, pilot study of proactive and early connection with free legal care services for patient-caregiver dyads affected by colorectal cancer to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of this intervention in improving financial and psychosocial outcomes.

Participants (i.e. patient-caregiver dyads) will receive free, personalized legal care services from Cancer Legal Care (CLC), a nonprofit organization located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. The duration of study participation is 3 months, however, participants may continue to access free personalized legal care services beyond this period.

Eligibility

Colorectal Cancer Patient Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of advanced stage (Stage III or Stage IV) colorectal cancer within the past 3 months.
• Initiated or planning to initiate systemic cancer therapy.
• Able to identify a caregiver for study participation.
• Estimated life expectancy of over 6 months in the opinion of the treating oncologist.
• 18 years of age or older at the time of consent.
• Able to understand, speak, read, and write in English.
• Able to provide voluntary written consent prior to the performance of any research related activity.

Caregiver Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years of age or older at the time of consent.
• Identified as a caregiver by a colorectal cancer patient.
• Able to understand, speak, read, and write in English.
• Able to provide voluntary written consent prior to the performance of any research related activity.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lacks capacity to consent/diminished capacity to consent.