Chemo care pack

[Kinkyroots]

One of the people I line manage at work has just been diagnosed with a horrible cancer.

Does anyone have any suggestions of a care package I can put together for her, in a month she goes into 5 weeks of 5 x a week chemo and radiotherapy. I can’t imagine how she’s feeling.

I’ve bought a funny book, just anything people think will be good to add. She normally crochets but hasn’t had the focus for it since all this horror and testing started.

Thanks 🙂

My very poorly friend really appreciated podcast recommendations.

My friend sent me a bundle of Take A Break magazines 😅

Lightweight blanket or large scarf
hand cream (something plain like shea butter or unscented)
lip balm
soft socks

I always recommend Not Another Bunch of Flowers for this - the founder is a breast cancer survivor.

As a partner/carer of someone currently being treated for cancer - Cook! meal vouchers, a delivery of M&S picky bits, nice bread, biscuits etc, and low tox soap/ shower gel have been great presents. My partner appreciated a nice pair of PJs, a puzzle book, and a contigo cup for a drink. He's also really appreciated offers of accompaniment to/from hospital, and/or to sit with him during treatment or at home (even downstairs while he's upstairs so he knows someone is around).

Oh - we already had this after it was recommended on the C section packing list thread: extra long charging cable for mobile phone.

Excellent idea - do you have any recommendations please, I don’t listen to them!

Invite her round for dinner one night or offer to go over and cook for her. When I was having chemo, people were terrified of coming near me.

Edited to add - be careful obviously of coughs and colds and don't breathe all over her!

Wish I could, we all work remotely and she lives a long way from me

Buy some Moo Goo skin care products. They are very natural and gentle and they are often now recommended for people going through chemo.
I use them myself because I've got dry skin and they are amazing.
The products are very low fragrance and don't have silicones or petrochemicals.
You can find them in Holland and Barratt and I use the 'milk wash' to wash my face; it doesn't even hurt if you get it in your eyes.

https://amzn.eu/d/ezTD8Mh

These are really good. They have a built-in rechargeable battery or they'll work with a cable too. They're so handy in hospital because it can be boiling in there.

This is a great suggestion

Ok. The best support I found was little messages every day - checking in etc. Silly jokes, memes etc. Chemo is rough but it's great knowing someone is thinking about you.

Absolutely this.

If you want gift ideas, then a lightweight cotton waffle blanket and elastic-free socks.

I agree with this, I appreciated that people don't know what to do or say sometimes or might not want to disturb you (that's what do not disturb is for) and that's ok.

The things I appreciated included a lot of the above, socks with grips on the bottom and a lightweight blanket..

DC1 bought me a powerbank and phone cable and made sure it was charged before every hospital visit.

I bought myself a chargeable fan, that was a godsend. I was either really hot or really cold.

Yes likewise,brilliant company. No flowers, I hated being given them, just reminded me of my own funeral

I used to joke that the worst thing about cancer was the amount of unsolicited podcast recommendations. I was inundated and I don't listen to podcasts! Cook vouchers are an excellent shout. Nice pjs/slippers/blanket also things i really appreciated. Oh and a nice mug for my hospital stay x

My sister is doing weekly chemo - things she now likes (this is her 2nd round of chemo);
alveeno moisturising cream ( or similar - no perfume and if having radiotherapy no metal/ parrafin in the cream)
jennifer young products
she likes hampers of nice tea/ biscuits/ nice things
nail serum to protect nails
ice gloves / feet to reduce peripheral neuropathy ( haven’t got any evidence to back these up - but they are up and coming)
smoothie maker - she has a smoothie rather than breakfast.
also yes to the person above whose friend wanted someone in the house with her - who she can tell to stop talking - company without strings/ having to entertain.

I would also advise that moisturising skin daily ( or more often) is really important and nail care.

Skin gets horribly dry during chemo so really good oils /moisturiser

I got super cold during the infusion so a nice blanket