How to Supporting To A Loved One In Cancer Treatment
By Karen Sharkey

• A true friend accompanies their buddy to chemotherapy.
  This is a comfort and good distraction for the person going through chemo. Being there for even part of the time lets then know you truly support them.

• Transportation to chemotherapy, radiation or doctor appointment
  Offer to provide transportation for a friend or loved one to and from their appointments.
  Arrange for a house cleaning
  Get together with family or friends, pool resources to pay for house cleaning services. Schedule the cleaning while your friend is at chemotherapy. They will come home to a clean house and fresh bed. Request that the cleaning service use scent and chemical free products.

• Telephone calls
  Call before you visit to make sure it’s a good day to see your friend. If they say it is not, don’t take it personally they are probably just exhausted and need to rest. Try again another day. Keep phone calls relatively short so your friend doesn’t get too tired. Find out what their daily schedule is like and when their rest time is; don’t call or visit during this time.

• Visiting – Remember that the person you want to visit is going through cancer treatment. Honor their requests that you wear a mask, use hand sanitizer or wash your hands and keep your visits short. It’s better to visit more frequently and stay for a short while rather than wear the person out by hanging around for a long time. Consider that you may not be their only visitor that day.

• E-mails and e-cards are always appreciated. Send then often to let the person know you are thinking of them. When treatment drags on for a while it’s easy to feel discouraged and isolated. Emails can make all the difference when feeling alone. Let them know that you don’t expect them to reply.

• Cards - continue to send cards in the mail weekly if possible. They provide encouragement and let your friend know you are thinking of them. Include a positive thought or poem to focus on.
  
  FOOD IDEAS

• Prepare and drop off meals – Its good to have a person organize and coordinate meal drop off with many people; to avoid overlap. Be considerate, avoid foods that they are allergic to, cause digestive upset or are off limits to the person going through treatment.

• Find out what the family food likes and dislikes are
  Bring homemade soup (that isn’t heavily spiced). Soup will help get more liquid in the diet, are easy to digest. Soups provide nurturing warmth.

• Bring meals that are freezer ready, so the cancer survivor may easily take out the foods that morning and warm up the meal when they are on their own during the day with little effort. Often making a cup of tea is a huge task for someone that is going through chemotherapy.

• Soft moist foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, applesauce, or custard are easy to eat and are soothing to a dry, sore mouth.

• Fruit like melons, plums, peaches, grapes, mangoes are juicy and provide moisture in the mouth and have good flavor.

• Teas like Mint, Ginger or Hibiscus are soothing for a queasy stomach. If feeling overheated Mint has a cooling effect. Ginger tea will provide warmth if feeling chilled. Include some Stevia to provide a natural sweetener alternative without fluctuations in blood sugar or promotion of tooth decay.

• Popsicles will sooth a sore mouth and throat. Look for popsicles that are made of fruit not artificial ingredients. Frozen bananas are a good in a pinch too.

• Groceries - Bring by staples to provide a variety of foods to prepare several meals. During cancer treatment often household budgets are stretched, copayments for care maybe paid before the pantry is stocked.
  
  ENTERTAINMENT
  Movie Ideas

• Loan your DVD, VHS or audio book library to your loved one.
  Purchase a Netflix (www.netflix.com)gift card and assist them with setting the account up online to begin receiving movies or books right away.
  Offer to take your friend to a movie when they are feeling up to it once their immune system won’t be compromised by being out in public. Getting out might be just the thing to brighten their mood.

• Book Ideas
  Purchase a Booksfree (Booksfree.com) gift card.

• Magazine Ideas
  Avoid fashion magazines especially ones focused on hair. Food magazines may not be especially appealing for someone experiencing nausea. Bring magazines about crafts, gardening, travel or special interests

• Music Ideas
  Make a mixed music CD or relaxation CD to help your friend turn a long afternoon in bed into a period of total relaxation.
  Get together with friends and purchase an iPod or CD player for so your friend can listen to music or books while at chemotherapy or resting in bed.

     GIFT IDEAS

• Hats made of breathable fabrics are the most comfortable if your loved one/friend is experiencing sweats or hot flashes. Find a hat that is soft, stretchy, washable and with no seams to aggravate a tender head.

• Scarves made of colors that the person wears, breathable fabric is washable and is large enough to tie on the head in several different ways are ideal. Include instructions about how to tie the scarf. tznius.com  or coveryourhair.com/HowToTieTeichels

• A gift with special meaning give your loved one something they can have in their pocket or hold in their hand during treatment like a stone, token, of charm with special meaning.
  Write a positive affirmation that can be read or recited to themselves when feeling scared, discouraged or alone.

• Give them something to make them smile and remind them that they are loved.