Have you heard the song, “Here I go again” by the 80’s band Whitesnake?
“Here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
An’ I’ve made up my mind, I ain’t wasting no more time.”
Are you going it alone? You don’t have to! Giving help benefits both the recipient and the giver. Surveys show that cancer survival can improve with a support network (10 tips on how to survive cancer)…and a 25% increase in survival rates! I like those odds. The American Cancer Society rated my survival odds at 41% for five years. If you count the original year of diagnosis….I am in the survivor group! Yeah!
The two parts of support include offering help to those that are ill, and the ability to accept help that is offered. When you are sick, it’s hard to reach out to friends and family because you don’t want to be a bother. Share this article with a friend if they ask what they can do to help? When you reach out to someone who is ill, it’s hard to know what to offer that will actually be a help.
Here are some suggestions for way to help:
- Offer to drive to an appointment or watch kids (many clinics don’t allow children)
- Offer to sit with your friend during chemo (it’s pretty boring and more fun with a friend or loved one)
- Make a meal! (Check with the family first for dietary restrictions. Kid friendly dishes helped my family immensely and took the burden of making a nightly meal off my shoulders.) Check out Take them a meal (this website is an awesome way to organize meal delivery for families).
- Send a card-seems simple, but this is so uplifting when you are having a rough day.
- Send a care package. It can be simple! Saltine crackers, cough drops, tissues….etc.
- Send a positive text message. You got this! was my favorite one!
- Call! Leave a message! Many times it is not a great time to talk, but hearing your friend’s voice is a cheery reminder that friends have not forgotten you.
- Visit! (Don’t just drop in unannounced please! Set it up in advance)
- Make a donation to Cancer research.
- Donate your hair! Wait, what? Very well health
But where? Here are two!
Spoiler alert! Come back tomorrow to see what happens next! (Hint: think hair donation!)
ovariancancerfighter 