Why Cancer Gift Baskets?

Why We Make Gift Baskets that Ease the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

When a close friend was diagnosed with cancer and started undergoing chemotherapy, I went to visit her during this difficult time. While I was there, a big and beautiful fruit bouquet arrived.  I placed it on the table next to a few similar ones, and to lighten the mood, began joking about how she could open her own fruit stand. She confided in me that while she loved fruit, and it was a seemingly good, healthy choice as a gift, the scent was so overwhelming -- it was making her physically ill.

Until then, I had no idea that one of the side effects of chemotherapy was a heightened sensitivity to scents. Even the scents of bath and body products (which were in some of the baskets but remained unopened) caused my friend to become nauseous. When I offered to take the fruit out of the room she stopped me, explaining that she felt guilty because friends and family spent time and money to send gifts as a show of their love and support. And the last thing she wanted was to seem unappreciative.

I realized that I too had unknowingly sent similar unusable gifts in the past and wondered what I should do instead. At that moment, a light bulb went off. I was determined to find a basket that was beneficial to people going through chemotherapy. After hours of research, I had only come across a few specialized baskets. But they were depressing and that is the last thing I thought my friend needed.

Having been in the gift basket business for years, I decided if an empowering basket didn’t exist, I would make one. So, I began researching and soliciting suggestions from cancer survivors, caregivers, and medical personnel as to the types of things cancer patients wanted and needed during this difficult time. Once I had that information, I began creating a basket with products that would help alleviate the chemotherapy side effects.

When I presented my friend with the basket, she was overcome with emotion. She couldn’t believe that I had taken the time to learn about the types of things that would help her physically and emotionally and then packaged it up in a bright and cheery way.

It has been two years, and thankfully, my friend is feeling great. When I see her, she shares stories about how specific items in my basket helped her and how it totally lifted her spirits. But more importantly, she says it helped her feel more like herself again.

After this experience, I created ROCK the TREATMENT™, so you too can help your friends or loved ones with gifts that are useful. Every product in our baskets has a very specific purpose and has been chosen because it offers a maximum benefit in accomplishing the goal of making your friend or family member look and feel his or her best.

Our baskets are bold and empowering and will help those you love...ROCK the TREATMENT™!!