When someone you are close to or care for develops cancer, you will be wondering what you can do to support them and make their struggles easier. There are a variety of ways in which you can do this, all of which will make the world of difference for someone with cancer.
Supporting a Cancer Patient:
Learn about the diagnosis
Understanding an individual’s illness is extremely important in being able to offer them the right support. Find out any information you can from them, but if they don’t want to talk about it and repeat the same information to everyone they see, try and ask someone else that is close to them and may have the details you need. Once you know a little more information about their cancer, you can then do some research to understand as much as possible about what they are going through, and what they have ahead of them. From this, you can picture a day in the life of their illness, and better understand the support they want and need.
Offer to help
Offering to help with small daily tasks is a great way of supporting someone with cancer. Things such as food shopping and collecting kids from school can make the world of difference in taking some of the pressure off. A lot of people find it hard to ask for help, so offering to do so is likely to be welcomed with open arms. It’s important not to be too pushy with this though – people suffering from cancer can feel really fed up with not having as much energy as they used to, so it’s important not to make them feel incompetent.
Be a good listener
Knowing how to support someone with cancer can be difficult, but the truth is that it’s the simple things that can make sure a huge difference. Just listening to your friend or loved one’s feelings is important. They are going on an emotional rollercoaster and you will be going along with them. Whether they are feeling sad, anxious, or they just want to forget about it and laugh, it’s important to understand how they are feeling and therefore what they need and what you can do to help. Having light and funny conversations can be a welcoming break from cancer talk, helping to lift spirits.
Ask permission before visits
As a carer or friend, all you want to do is help and be able to make life easier for your friend. However, there will be some, or sometimes many, days that they will want to be alone and not fussed over. If you reach out to them and don’t hear back, don’t be offended. Equally, know when to leave when you do visit, it’s important not to overstay your welcome.
Continue your support and offer advice
The journey often gets harder after the initial diagnosis, so they will need your support throughout. If your friend undergoes chemotherapy, they are likely to experience changes to their appearance, particularly through hair loss. It’s good to prepare yourself and your friend for this outcome. Don’t appear shocked at any changes to their appearance, and instead greet them as normal. If they are feeling particularly down or upset to changes in their appearance, reassure them that it’s okay and they still look lovely. If they are devastated by hair loss, perhaps suggest the idea of looking into wig options. There are many different types available that are wonderfully natural and great at restoring confidence. At our Simply Wigs shop, we have some beautiful fitting rooms for individuals to be able to come and try on wigs to find the perfect wig for them.
Understanding how to support someone with cancer will make the process easier and more beneficial to the individual you are helping. But it’s important to understand that each person and each illness is different. Just offering support to your friend will make the world of difference. Keep up to date with our blog, which is full of inspirational people blogging about their journeys through cancer and treatment.
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