5 Important Ways to Be There For Your Loved One With Cancer

The art of compassion – 5 ways to be there for your loved one with cancer

Following an initial cancer diagnosis, there are so many questions and feelings that you experience. You want to help, but where to start? Here are five important ways you can support your loved one, empower them to live in the present and enjoy the special moments that give life meaning.

Help them with self care

A cancer survivor wrote an article and discussed how difficult it can be to practice real self-care. After diagnosis, many people experience changes in daily habits, exercise routines or the activities that brought them stability and comfort. Comfort foods no longer taste familiar. There’s an itching in the skin and a consistent sense of fatigue. And these are only the physical symptoms. The psychological and emotional pain is an altogether different thing.

One of the best things that you can do is make sure that your loved one balances their needs with treatment and recovery efforts. For instance, you could help set up a quiet space for meditation and relaxation. Research has demonstrated the benefits of meditation in cancer care. Whether you’re setting up a tranquil area or helping them practice meditation, this is one simple way you can help with self-care and make things a little easier for your loved one.

Become a true listener

The initial impulse to understand and give advice after a cancer diagnosis is well-intentioned, but it’s absolutely critical to realize that you can’t fully comprehend their experience. Those who have had to go through the experience of caring for a sick family member or close friend know how difficult it is to sympathize or empathize. Simply listening is possibly the best thing that you can do.

 Listening isn’t just an activity of silence. A crucial part of demonstrating your compassion and truly becoming a listener is asking relevant and engaged questions. Thinking about questions in advance are also important practices that can help you demonstrate your emotional engagement and commitment.

Leave little expressions of love

This is one of the most simple and easy practices that you can implement to brighten your loved one’s day and keep their fight against cancer optimistic. On a regular basis, leave a small message on a post-it note, a voicemail, or even a scrap of paper. Tell your loved one something you love about them or something you appreciate about them. These small messages offer tangible reminders of your love and compassion, and after a treatment of chemo or difficult doctor’s visit, they stand as a powerful reminder of the bond you share.

Give a helping hand with the simple stuff

According to a report published on CNN, stress can have a major impact on cancer survival. Just because someone has cancer doesn’t mean that all their responsibilities, routines, and daily obligations have changed. It’s important that you look for a chance to help with managing the day-to-day logistics after diagnosis or treatment begin. You can organize the house to make things accessible, and take the stress out of chores or errands that need to be performed regularly. Helping with organization is small, but significant way, you can help reduce stress.

Sustain your support

After people announce cancer diagnoses, there’s an initial outpouring of affection and appreciation. It’s substantial, but it has to be sustained as well. The longer the period since diagnosis, the less help there often is. Following up on a regular basis gives you a chance to get some quality time together and enjoy each other’s company.

 Following up regularly can give you both a chance to create lasting memories, even if the extent of your support is just being there to share a joke and laugh. You’ll continue to build the bond that you’ve worked so hard to create.

 The best way to be there for your loved one is to make yourself available and communicate effectively. Research has shown that when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, positive communication is critical to helping them feel empowered and maintain overall well-being. Being both optimistic and realistic is a balance that you can find, which will best help your loved one.

Author Bio

Scott Sanders is the creator of CancerWell.org, which provides resources and support for anyone who has been affected by any form of cancer. He is also the author of the book Put Yourself First: A Guide to Self-care and Spiritual Wellness During and After Cancer Treatment.