If one of your friends or relatives has been diagnosed with cancer, there are a lot of things you could do to help them. Read this article to learn more about cancer and how you can support a cancer patient.
Being diagnosed with cancer is a real blow. It probably came as a shock to you and made you feel sad, confused and very scared: imagine how your friend or relative feels! Do not expect your friend or relative to be able to open up right away, but let them know you are here to help. Check with them regularly and make sure they are taking action and establishing a treatment plan with their doctor. The shock of the diagnosis sometimes keeps people from reacting and getting to work right away on a treatment plan. Offer to help out your friend or relative with this first step.
Do some research about the type of cancer your friend or relative has been diagnosed with. This will give you a better idea of what kind of treatment they will have to go through, how long it will take for them to be cured and also give you a better idea of their chance of survival. Usually, cancer patients have better chances of being cured if the cancer is diagnosed early. Doing some research about cancer will make it easier for you to understand what is going on. You will be able to have some technical conversations with your friend and relative and really understand what their results mean. Besides, your friend or relative will appreciate the fact that you care enough to do some research.
You can help by becoming involved in the treatment process. Talk with your friend or relative regularly about the different stages of the treatment and ask how you can help. If the patient is going through chemotherapy, they will probably have to stay in bed for a few days after the treatment. You can help by giving them a ride home and perhaps preparing some food for them or even staying with them for a few days. Besides, going to the hospital or the doctor can be very stressful and scary: having a friend go with them is a relief for a lot of patients.
Help your friend or relative build a solid network. You should do some research about different hospitals and treatment centers and not hesitate to suggest they schedule an appointment with a different specialist. A lot of cancer patients benefit from going to counseling or joining a support group: you could help your friend or relative find a counselor or a support group in the area. And because cancer is so emotionally draining, your friend or relative needs to take a break once in a while and have some fun. You could take them out, plan a fun activity together or simply cheer them up.
You should adapt these tips to the person you are trying to help. Everyone is different: some patients will constantly need moral support while others will prefer getting some privacy.