So Someone You Know has Been Diagnosed with Cancer...Now What?

When I was diagnosed with cancer I went through a period of shock, disbelief, and denial...all unwitting strategies for staving off the uncertainty and terror that comes with such a diagnosis. Thankfully I have an amazing group of friends and family who supported me through that difficult time. But as days and weeks of remission turn into months and years, I'm increasingly aware of how many others are dealing with cancer diagnoses. That alone-ness I felt when I discovered I had cancer was a lie. It seems like about once a month someone new comes to me to relate a story of their friend or family member who has just found out they have cancer. It's devastating. I hate knowing that someone else is going through that experience, preparing for that battle. But everyone wants to know what they can do. I don't have the perfect answers, but I have a few suggestions. Many are things that someone did for me when I was sick.

The first thing to do is simply to ask if the person has anything they need or if there's something you can do to help. Don't push for an answer though. When I was sick I was terrible at this. Frequently I didn't know what I needed. If I did know, I was often too hesitant to actually ask. Your friend or family member might not want to admit that they can't do certain things, but I think it's always better to ask outright first. If they can't think of anything, but you know of something they are going to need help with (such as scooping a cat's litter box, which they're not supposed to do) maybe you can directly offer to do that thing.

Apart from asking directly, here are a few additional ideas for how to boost the spirits of, or lend a hand to, a person who has just found out they have cancer. (in no particular order)

1. Buy them cancer schwag. There's a colored ribbon for almost every variety of cancer. You could buy a car magnet, a keychain, or a t-shirt with their ribbon on it. For the most part these things seem kitchy, but at some level they reminded me that there were other people out there who were in the same boat I was in. I wasn't the first to have this kind of cancer and I wasn't the only one fighting it. One shirt I especially liked said "I fight like a girl!" and had a purple (blood cancer) ribbon on it.

2. Tell them stories of people you know who have beat cancer. When I was diagnosed I didn't know other people who had cancer. The only other person I'd known to have a blood cancer was my papaw, and he passed away shortly after his diagnosis. If you know success stories, share them! Whether it is simply that chemo wasn't as bad as someone anticipated, or it's a story about full on remission, these sorts of stories provide encouragement at a very discouraged moment. DO NOT relate stories about others you know who have lost their fight with cancer. It's good to be realistic (chemo sucks, radiation can be irritating) but someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer is keenly aware that it is a disease that kills people. That's not where you want to focus.

3. Send cards regularly. I loved getting cards with words of encouragement and support. I taped them all over my bedroom and, later, all over my hospital room. It's a simple gesture, but the outpouring of support meant a lot. I think it's especially nice when you can send a card every couple of months. Friends and family sometimes forget that the battle is a long process and support dwindles. Getting cards in those lulls is especially nice.

This was my home for over 3 weeks. See the cards on my bulletin board on the left?

  4. Send support. Many cities have services where one can order a warm, home-cooked meal to be delivered to one's house. These are nice on nights when your friend or family member is too tired or sick to prepare a meal. You can usually purchase any dollar amount worth of meals (sort of like a gift card) and your friend/family member can use them at their convenience.

Several friends gave me books, magazines, and even a kindle for leisure reading on long days while I was at doctor's appointments and getting treatment. Whatever your friend or family member enjoys (or maybe has always wanted to do) that can be accomplished sitting in a chair would be great. Buy an electronic fishing game, scrapbooking supplies, maybe even a rubik's cube. I crocheted a queen size blanket (entirely with a sc stitch for any fellow crocheters out there). Anything to provide a diversion during hours of chemo, blood transfusions, hospital stays, etc.

I was also very fortunate in receiving the gift of a cleaning service. Someone came to clean my house every other week. It was amazing, since it was important for me to be in a clean environment, but I was always too tired to do much cleaning. You could always pay for just one detailed cleaning, to get the house super clean before treatment. Alternately, if you have the time and live close-by you could offer to go out and do the cleaning yourself.

DO NOT send flowers if your friend or family member has already started chemotherapy. They may not even be aware of it, but once their blood counts (and immunities) are lowered, they're not supposed to be around fresh flowers. The hospital had to take my flowers away after my counts dropped. Luckily I was able to enjoy them for several days before that happened. One friend was clever and sent a bouquet of balloons instead. By special request they were all tied to a diet pepsi (which was especially exciting, since the hospital didn't stock caffeinated beverages).

5. Donate to the cause. From the American Cancer Society to smaller, more specific groups like fight2win.org, there are a wide array of organizations dedicated to researching and fighting different cancers. You could make a donation on your friend or family member's behalf. Again, this is the sort of "help" that isn't direct, but provides a morale boost. It always buoyed my spirits to think about the cutting edge research that is increasing survival rates every year. I was also touched to see the physical work several friends dedicated to Team in Training, which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

6. Buy a photography session. If your friend or family member is going to have to have chemo (and lose their hair) it might be nice to purchase a photography session for them and their closest friends or family. A friend arranged to have photos taken of Brynn and I before I started treatment, and I treasure them so much now. They're some of my favorite photos ever.

My post-diagnosis, pre-hair loss photo shoot

7. Help them find help. Discovering you have cancer is overwhelming enough, but there's so much more to deal with. In the months after my diagnosis I had to apply for several financial assistance programs. One was non-negotiable, as it was the only way I could afford to take one of my required medications. Another required receipted expenses be sent for reimbursement. Yet another would only accept applications on the first business day of the month. I was also unaware of several programs that would have been beneficial to me (such as a local blood cancer support group, the American Cancer Society's "Look Good, Feel Better" program, and their gift closet). There's help out there, help your friend or family member find it.

8. Offer them a ride, or a grocery run, or cook a meal one night. Ideally your friend or family member would be able to express what it is they need and when they need it. For me, however, that was almost impossible. There were days when I woke up, prepared Brynn for school, and got her on the bus,only to come back home and sleep until it was time to pick her up at the bus stop in the late afternoon. Even on those days I wasn't able to admit to my friends that I needed help. I was more likely to accept help when it was a specific offer made by someone else. I couldn't request help, and I was reluctant to accept it, but at some point an offer like "Why don't I make dinner for you and Brynn and bring it by on Thursday night?" was one I couldn't refuse.

9. Finally, remember that this is still the same person you've always known. After I was diagnosed I found that people began to discount their own problems or avoid talking to me about them at all. It was certainly done out of concern for me and respect for the rough time I was experiencing, but it made me feel a little out of place. In fact, sometimes hearing about what was going on in someone else's life (the good and the bad) was just the thing I needed to pull myself out of a funk. Everyone will be different in this regard, but don't take "special treatment" too far. At some point I said I didn't want to be "the girl with cancer" anymore, I just wanted to be plain old Shawntel. Don't let the cancer change your image of your friend or family member too much. 

All in all, there's no sure fire approach to dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Even the person who is dealing with the news is often unsure of how they want loved ones to react. Still, I think most people who are diagnosed with cancer understand that their friends and family don't always know the best way to offer their support. I appreciated everyone's efforts to encourage me and support me in gestures both big and small. Show your support in the best way you know how, just be sure to show it.