Within a week of being diagnosed with breast cancer, a good friend of mine had enough dinners to feed an army. Learning that a friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer is shocking, and springing into action is often how we cope. Here are creative and helpful ideas you can be help a friend after a breast cancer diagnosis.
1. Organize meals. It sounds basic, but when a mom can’t cook meals for her family for months without becoming nauseous, it can wreak havoc on a household. Volunteer to make sure she has dinner each night, or let her know that you’ll make sure her children’s (and husband’s) lunches are prepared and waiting for them in the carpool each day.
2. Good old fashioned babysitting. Whether you volunteer to take her children for an afternoon of distraction (and giver her some peace and quiet at home), or offer to keep one child entertained for an afternoon so that Mom can have some coveted special time with another child, your friend’s lack of energy will make this favor incredibly valuable. Or hire a babysitter and treat her to a movie for the afternoon to get her mind off the stress of treatment.
3. Offer to drive the carpool on her day - or organize other friends to do it. If her children aren’t in carpools, she may still need help getting them to dance classes, piano lessons and basketball practice.
4. Mow her lawn. Whether or not your friend usually takes care of her yard or has someone on hand with a green thumb, letting her know that you’ll make sure her yard is taken care of means she’ll have one less item on her family’s to-do list. And if she’s had surgery, you can bet she won’t be excited to push a lawn mower for a while.
5. Take care of the grocery shopping. Knowing that her refrigerator will remain fully stocked with snacks and lunchbox items, even if she lacks the time or energy to do the shopping, will be a huge help. Just swing by her house to pick up her shopping list, pick up her groceries while you’re getting your own, and you’ll make her life that much easier.
