Helping Your Friend With Cancer Deal With Stress During the Holidays
The holidays can be stressful for anyone. Especially in 2020 and especially if you are undergoing treatment for cancer. We are all trying to celebrate in safe, meaningful ways this season while not putting anyone’s health in jeopardy.
For cancer patients, the holidays can be particularly difficult. If someone you know and love is in the midst of cancer treatments, it can compromise their emotional and physical state during a time that should be filled with celebration. Chemotherapy and radiation can put a damper on even the brightest holiday spirit.
What can you do help someone with cancer this holiday season? Plenty! MD Anderson Cancer Center compiled a list of suggestions they received from cancer patients and caregivers. Here, we share some of them with you.
Shop for gifts – Whether online or in person, helping your friend do holiday shopping can be a gift in and of itself. Tasks that once seemed simple can be daunting for someone undergoing treatment for cancer. Having help deciding on gifts, entering addresses and credit card numbers, or picking up purchases can be truly comforting to someone who is feeling overwhelmed.
Wrap gifts – Wrapping gifts can be a fun way to help someone with cancer. It is something you can even do with a few socially-distanced friends. Gather up decorative ribbons, paper, and bags, bring tape and scissors and get to work! Your loved one may enjoy watching the process and choosing what to wrapping to use for certain gifts. Being able to participate in some way, while not doing all the hard work will certainly be appreciated.
Decorate – Helping someone decorate for the holiday can be extremely helpful. If your friend is recovering from cancer treatments it might be the last thing he or she wants to or is able to accomplish. You can take over the task entirely but it might be best to ask first!
Clean – Cleaning the house or arranging for a deep clean is another way to ease some holiday stress for your loved one with cancer. Having a clean, neat home during the holiday is one less thing to worry about.
Share food – Holiday meal-prep is often the most daunting and stressful prospect for people getting treatments for cancer. They are probably exhausted and experiencing some of the nastier side effects of chemotherapy. Standing on their feet, surrounded by food, might not be too appealing or even healthy.
Sending holiday meals, cookies, cakes, fruit, and pies for the family of someone with cancer can provide welcome relief to everyone. The holidays are a perfect time to spread some cheer with homemade treats, especially to those who cannot prepare them on their own this year.
Send gifts – Everyone can use a little extra gift around the holidays. For people with cancer, receiving something thoughtful and useful reminds them that they have people who care.
Send Helpful Cancer Care Packages
At Rock the Treatment we have helpful cancer gift boxes for people getting chemotherapy and radiation. Our cancer gift boxes contain items selected specifically for people undergoing cancer treatments, and sure to bring a smile during the holiday season. We offer:
- Men’s Chemo Care Packages
- Women’s Chemo Care Packages
- Children’s Chemo Care Packages
- Radiation Care Packages
At Rock the Treatment, we make it easy to let someone with cancer know you care and support them on their difficult journey. If someone you love has cancer, send a helpful cancer gift basket from Rock The Treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation gift baskets are packed with the essentials needed to ease side effects of treatment, as well as enhance physical and mental well-being. See all of our cancer care packages and find the one that best supports their journey.
