Many of us are affected by cancer at some point in our lives. Those of us who don’t experience it personally usually have relatives or friends or have to deal with the disease. For me, it’s been my grandad, my stepdad, and my father. Through these experiences, I have learned the being there for them. And I have learned some important ways to support someone with cancer.
When someone you love has cancer, you can feel at a loss for what to do. How can you be there for them in ways that will truly help them? You might feel as if you’re helpless. After all, you’re likely not a doctor. But even though you can’t treat their illness, you can still be there for them in other ways. There are lots of big and small ways you can support someone with cancer, even if you don’t have a lot of time to give.
Keep Them Company
Simply being there for someone who has cancer can be very useful. It’s easy for them to feel lonely, especially if they don’t have someone who can be with them all the time. You can offer to sit with them when you’re able, whether it’s at the hospital or home.
Plus, you don’t just have to be there for them when they aren’t feeling well. It’s also important to invite them to do things when they’re feeling well enough to go out or be a bit more active. It helps them escape for a while from everything that comes with going through cancer treatment.
Help Them Get Help from Others
You can also help by looking for resources that might be helpful for someone with cancer. They might also have medical professionals who help them get in touch with the right people. You can look for services that could be helpful, such as a helpline run by a Jewish cancer charity.
Having someone to speak to is one of the most valuable things to have, but some people would prefer to talk to someone anonymously. You might also look for other charitable services that you could access, which might range from nurses to support groups.
Offer to Do Housework and Childcare
Staying on top of your usual responsibilities is hard when you’re being treated for a serious illness. One of the best ways to help out is by doing these daily tasks for someone. You can offer to cook or clean to make things easier for them. Childcare can also be very useful, whether it’s during an appointment or just to let them have a rest. Offer to help when you can so that there’s less to worry about.
Assisting with Their Treatment
Although you can’t provide any medical help, you can still be involved in someone’s treatment. One thing you can do is travel to their appointments with them and accompany them inside too. It can be overwhelming for cancer patients to speak to their doctors, so you can help them organize their thoughts and perhaps write down some questions. Although you should avoid speaking on their behalf, you can help to back them up if they want you to.
You could also help choose which center to get treatment at whether you travel to a city to get treatment from. a
Any help would be appreciated.
You can support someone who has cancer in whichever way you feel you are able. But check to see what kind of help they are willing to accept first.