A well-chosen gift of soft sweatpants or cozy pair of socks can help make people undergoing chemotherapy feel more comfortable during their treatment. A person should consider natural, breathable fabrics that are soft and warming, as chemotherapy can make some individuals more sensitive to cold. SDBING Super Soft Fleece-Lined Socks
How to choose a gift for a loved one undergoing chemotherapy?
Choosing a journal that focuses on mindfulness is an excellent option for a loved one undergoing chemotherapy. This journal specifically includes inspirational quotes, self-care checklists, and an anxiety tracker to help your loved one regulate emotions whenever possible. Include this journal with a beautiful pen for a thoughtful gift.
What are the best chemo supplies for someone undergoing chemotherapy?
While there are lots of options on the market, TheraBox is a great option for someone undergoing chemotherapy. This box includes items like teas, lotions, aromatherapy, bath salts, candles, and more and is intended to promote happiness, encourage self-care, and reduce stress.
What to do for a friend who has had chemo?
The last chemo treatment will not mean your friend will be back to normal the very next day; it’ll take a little time to be back at 100%. A surprise gift that helps to heal and get your friend feeling back to normal will be appreciated. 4. Care package
Can a food delivery service help you during chemo?
Unfortunately, life doesn’t get put on pause when you go through chemo, and patients still have to go through basic, everyday things like cooking dinner. As you can imagine, that can be exhausting, which is why a subscription to a food delivery service can be incredibly helpful.
What do you get someone who is going through chemotherapy?
The Best Gifts for Chemotherapy PatientsFuzzy socks (yes, really!)Soft blanket or wrap, pillow.Hat, cap, beanie or head scarf (for someone with hair loss)Body lotion and lip balm, preferably unscented or natural scent and paraben-free.Tea sampler.Ginger candies or other hard candies (for nausea control)More items...•
What do cancer patients want as gifts?
Consider gifts that provide comfort, like blankets and soft robes. Gifts that provide stress relief, like an aromatherapy pillow, will also be appreciated. Consider books and movies to provide entertainment when your friend is feeling fatigued. Warm hats and scarves are also good choices if the weather is cold.
What do you put in a chemo gift bag?
Cancer Care Package IdeasWarm blankets and socks. Clinics and hospitals — where chemotherapy is administered — are often chilly, so blankets and warm socks can make your loved one more comfortable. ... Moisturizers and lip balm. ... Headwear and/or salon gift cards. ... Snacks and water. ... Entertainment. ... Inspiration.
What do you put in a gift basket for someone with cancer?
Gift baskets Brittany recommends stuffing baskets with slippers, a comfy robe, hand sanitizer, a good moisturizing lotion, books, restaurant gift cards, a journal, framed pictures of family and friends, a soft and comfy blanket and handwritten letters.
What do cancer patients need during chemo?
Healthy snacks and water. Bring snacks (e.g., crackers, fresh fruit, chicken broth, ginger tea) to stay nourished. Chemo can cause dry mouth and taste changes so bring mints, lemon drops, ginger chews or hard candies.
How do you cheer up a cancer patient?
What you can do: VisitsAlways call before you visit. ... Schedule a visit that allows you to give physical and emotional support for the caregiver, too. ... Make short, regular visits rather than long, infrequent ones. ... Begin and end the visit with a touch, a hug, or a handshake.Be understanding if you are asked .More items...•
What candy is good for chemo?
Try some hard candies – Peppermints, lemon drops, root beer barrels, and ginger chews are often effective in relieving nausea and eliminating bad tastes in your mouth.
What is a chemo port pillow?
A chemo port pillow is a small, soft pillow that people attach to a seat belt to protect their chemo port. These are also called port-a-cath pillows or port seat belt protectors. This “port softie” is intended to relieve any pressure or rubbing from the seat belt.
What is a chemo blanket?
Weighted Blanket Therapy and Cancer Weighted blankets, which are made to equal about 10 percent of a person's body weight, deliver firm but gentle pressure all over the body. This pressure is actually a form of therapy called deep pressure touch stimulation. It's a long name for something that's really quite simple.
Can you pause chemo?
Unfortunately, life doesn’t get put on pause when you go through chemo, and patients still have to go through basic, everyday things like cooking dinner. As you can imagine, that can be exhausting, which is why a subscription to a food delivery service can be incredibly helpful.
Can you use an electric blanket for cold cap therapy?
An electric blanket—especially if they're doing cold cap therapy. "Towards the end of my treatment, when the cold cap feels even colder because you inevitably have less hair, electric blankets are invaluable," Montego says, noting that she borrowed a few during her treatment.
Can you download iTunes for chemo?
An iTunes gift card so they can download freely. Chemo sessions can be long and, while there’s often a TV available, “that only goes so far,” Dr. Saria says. He recommends getting a patient an iTunes gift card so they can pick out music, podcasts, or downloadable books to help them pass the time.
Is chemo exhausting?
Cancer can be terrifying, exhausting, and isolating—and so can chemotherapy. So, if you have a loved one who is going through chemo, it’s understandable that you’d want to do everything you can to help them through the process. While simply being there is crucial, you may be searching for other ways to help, from running their errands ...
Does Twitter provide medical advice?
Twitter. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Topics breast cancer cancer.
Can chemo cause a person to smell?
The unscented part is key. Chemotherapy can throw a person’s sense of scent out of whack, and even people who normally love fragrances can be repulsed by strong scents, she says. It can also make your skin super dry and sensitive, so fragrance may be irritating.
Quick links
A person undergoing chemotherapy faces a range of challenges, both physically and mentally. A thoughtfully curated chemotherapy care package may help individuals cope with unpleasant side effects, improve their sense of well-being, and help occupy them during long hours of treatment.
Headcovers Comfort Cap
Headcovers offers a range of hats, scarves, and wigs for people with cancer.
Alra Mild Conditioning Shampoo
According to the manufacturer, this gentle cleanser and conditioner combination is suitable for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Buddha Teas Ginger Root Tea Bags
Ginger can be an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy.
Bonds of London Sugar Free Sherbert Lemons
Hard candy, such as lemon drops or mints, may help remove the unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth from chemotherapy. However, it is important to note that sugar-free candy may cause gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea in some people.
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
This soothing nonfoaming facial wash is free from fragrances, parabens, and soap. Therefore, it is suitable for dry or sensitive skin.
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm
This lip balm contains vitamin E to moisturize, while its SPF of 25 provides an extra layer of protection.
Chemo Beanies
Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells — but also hair follicles. For this reason, hair loss is often a side effect of treatment. We chose this hat from Chemo Beanies (there are lots of cute options and styles on their site).
Fieldsheer Peak BT Vest
Cold sensitivity is a common chemotherapy side effect. This means a person can feel very cold sometimes almost immediately after they start getting their chemotherapy infusion. If you have a loved one that enjoys high-tech gadgets, consider this unisex heated vest.
One Day at a Time: A Guided Journal for Mindfulness
Journaling is a way to relieve stress and reflect on feelings and emotions. Choosing a journal that focuses on mindfulness is an excellent option for a loved one undergoing chemotherapy. This journal specifically includes inspirational quotes, self-care checklists, and an anxiety tracker to help your loved one regulate emotions whenever possible.
Hoya Heart Plant
Instead of flowers, why not give a plant that’s beautiful, yet low maintenance? This Hoya heart plant from The Sill only requires watering every 2 to 3 weeks. Its whimsical heart shape conveys how you are thinking of your loved one.
Splendid Cities: Color Your Way to Calm Adult Coloring Book
Adult coloring books are a stress-relieving way to pass time and create something beautiful. While there are lots to choose from, this “Splendid Cities: Color Your Way to Calm” coloring book takes your loved one on a world tour of beautiful coloring options. Don’t forget to include some colored pencils or markers as part of your gifts.
Vremi Electric Blanket
Having a warm blanket to take to chemo treatments makes for a thoughtful and useful gift. We like this Vremi electric blanket because it has multiple settings, an automatic shutoff, and is washable.
LA Signature Mixed Snack Box
Snacks are a must-have for longer chemo treatments (or just any time, really). This collection of healthy snacks contains 30 packages of granola bars, fig bars, trail mix, and nuts for delicious and nutritious snacking options.
What to do when you are getting chemotherapy?
Fuzzy socks or Throw – When the person is actually receiving Chemo they can get a chill, and feel extra cold. So a fuzzy throw, hat or socks can help them stay cozy during treatments. Assorted Fruit Juice or Tea – Staying hydrated can be hard, especially when some tastes cause nausea.
Can you use unscented lotion on your hands?
Unscented hand lotion & Chapstick – Scented products are likely to cause nausea, but hand lotion and chap-stick are often sorely needed. Chemo can cause skin to get chapped and crack. Formulas for sensitive skin with no scent are really helpful.
What to use after chemo?
Spa items that can be used long after a final chemo treatment is a great way to celebrate. You can opt for a spa gift card for a full day of pampering or items that help relaxation like candles, a heated blanket, and bath bombs.
What to do after chemo and beating cancer?
Finishing chemo and beating cancer deserves a full-on party! This way, time can be appropriately celebrated and family and friends can show their love and support as well. Create a party with all things the child loves.
Is it sad to watch a child go through chemotherapy?
Watching a child go through chemotherapy can be heartbreaking. The final chemotherapy treatment is not just a huge deal for the child, but it is for loved ones as well. This is the perfect time to put life on hold and set off for Disney or another destination.
Can you eat a beer during chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy brings about nausea and doctors’ orders for a specified diet. Your friend may not have been able to go out to the bar for a beer or eat his favorite meal as much as they would have liked during his chemotherapy treatments.
Is chemo therapy painful?
Chemotherapy is painful, nauseating, and exhausting. The last chemo treatment will not mean your friend will be back to normal the very next day ; it’ll take a little time to be back at 100%. A surprise gift that helps to heal and get your friend feeling back to normal will be appreciated. 4. Care package.
10 ways to show you care
Courtney Preusse is a breast cancer survivor, researcher, patient advocate, and community liaison working in support of cancer awareness and research. Courtney works with clinicians and researchers at one of the leading cancer centers to advance new breast cancer initiatives, pilot projects and translational research in development.
Comfort is Key
When undergoing cancer treatment, comfort is key. Treatment can involve hard plastic chairs and uncomfortable examination tables or take place in cold clinics and hospital rooms that may not feel especially homey.
Stress Relief
Stress is an unwelcomed and uncomfortable experience for anyone, whether they have cancer or not. Aromatherapy pillows, eye masks, and even stuffed animals made with essential oils may help some people manage cancer-related symptoms. 1
Bring Some Entertainment
Activity levels wane during active cancer treatment and cancer fatigue is a given (even when someone isn't currently having treatment). Books and movies can be an excellent way to escape for a few hours.
Warmth and Style
Thinning hair and chemotherapy-related hair loss can be especially bothersome as the weather turns chilly. Even if your friend wishes to go au naturel, she might change her mind when the temperature drops.
Food
For a foodie friend, treating him to a meal at his favorite restaurant or giving a gift certificate can be a thoughtful option. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before giving food-related gifts.
Pampering
A gift certificate for a massage may sound like a good idea, but if your friend has lymphedema, healing surgical wounds or painful joints, bodywork could actually be painful.
Why does radiotherapy cause side effects?
Radiotherapy causes side effects because it affects healthy tissue as well as cancer cells.
What are the side effects of radiotherapy?
Something to soothe the skin – everyone’s skin reacts differently and to varying degrees but one of the more common side effects of radiotherapy is changes to a patient’s skin. Skin may become pinker or darker, more tender, dry or itchy.
Does radiation damage cancer cells?
Radiotherapy causes side effects because it affects healthy tissue as well as cancer cells. Healthy tissue is better able to recover than cancer cells, but may be damaged by the radiation in the short or long term.
Is a moisturiser a good gift?
Therefore a good natural moisturiser makes a wonderful gift to show that you have given thought to what your loved one needs. One of our favourite brands is the Defiant Beauty range, as it comprises of natural, organic and effective skin care products specifically for those going through treatment for cancer.
What is cancer in the medical field?
Cancer is an illness that not only creates complications for one person, but changes the lives of many over the course of the diagnosis, disease, and treatment. If someone you know is going through this, know that your support is valued.
Do cancer patients feel strong?
Cancer patients may not feel strong, and may, in fact, feel the exact opposite. Even if that’s true, it’s important to let them know how strong they truly are. You can also send a gift of a cozy blanket or slippers to provide some comfort as they continue their fight.