10/14/2025
Someone in your life has cancer— now what? How can you support them during (or after) their treatment?
We sat down and asked one of our advisors, Jennifer A Douglas - Writer, breast cancer patient advocate and author, for some ideas. She was diagnosed with DCIS and works in the breast cancer community. She shared this with us:
“I was always touched by the unique ways that the people in my life surrounded us with support. And, it didn’t matter what they did; what mattered was that they were showering me and my family with care during a really difficult time in our lives. Often, what was most difficult for me, as the cancer patient, was saying yes to the support.
Here are a few of the things that made a difference for us during my cancer treatment:
🔹Meals. We all needed to eat, and often, after a long day, the last thing I wanted to do was prepare dinner for my family. We loved getting gift cards to order dinner for delivery, having meals delivered through a meal train, and also enjoying a few deliveries from Spoonful of Comfort. (https://www.spoonfulofcomfort.com/)
🔹 Flowers: These always brightened my day!
🔹 Errand help: We were a busy family with teenage boys, so it really helped when my neighbors and friends could help with grocery runs or give our kids rides to and from their activities.
🔹Rides to and from appointments: I appreciated the friends and neighbors who were able to help out with rides. While I “technically” could have driven to my appointments, it made it less stressful for me when someone drove me there.
🔹 Spontaneous gifts: blankets, cozy socks, puzzles, fun activities, or gift cards for my favorite coffee places.
🔹 Visits: I loved having people stop by for a little while just to say hi. I was tired, but it always made me smile when someone came by.
🔹 Phone calls: It was so nice to know people were thinking of me, and even when I wasn’t up to talking, even a short call brought a smile to my face.
🔹 Practical help: Housecleaning, babysitting, pet sitting, dog walking, laundry, or yard work. These are all things that need to continue, even during treatment. These are often the things that drain our well-being as we try to recover and feel behind.
🔹 Cards: In a world where everything is digital, there is something wonderful about a handwritten note I could put on my bedside and look at. I still have a folder of all the cards I received during treatment.
I was always touched when someone in my life reached out and let me know they were thinking of me."
We hope these ideas inspire you to offer support and encouragement the next time you hear that someone in your life has cancer.