dealing with a friend's cancer diagnosis

2
Dealing With A Friend's Cancer Diagnosis There is no denying the fact that learning of a friend or loved one's cancer diagnosis is an extremely traumatic event. You feel a strong need to provide assistance, but are unsure about how you can help. The following article includes several useful tips you can use right away. 1. Be an effective, compassionate listener. It is quite likely that your friend or loved one is having difficulty coping in the immediate aftermath of their diagnosis, and could desperately use a friendly sounding board. Your job is to provide a willing ear and a sturdy shoulder on which they can cry. Allow them to be completely candid and give them a safe place to air their deepest feelings and fears. 2. Pay attention to your own feelings and concerns. Working through your own emotions can give you insight into those of your friend. You are likely experiencing panic, sadness and uncertainty, and finding your way out of this dark place and focusing on the positive is a good way help the patient and their family do the same. 3. Always donate your time and effort to assist with household tasks and everyday chores. Doctor appointments, treatment sessions and the physical toll cancer takes on sufferers all combine to make completion of routine cleaning and home maintenance jobs extremely difficult. Offering your time to help take care of these types of tasks can be an incredibly valuable gesture that allows the patient to save their energy and preserve their health. 4. Accompany your friend to doctor appointments and scheduled treatments. Chemotherapy, radiation and medical testing can be very uncomfortable as well as frightening experiences. Therefore, going along on such appointments can provide a great sense of comfort and relief to a cancer patient. Taking the time to show your support in this way can mean a great deal to someone struggling with the physical and emotional effects of this difficult journey. 5. Act normally and do not stop joking and conversing as you usually would. Altering your demeanor or suddenly adopting a serious tone when talking with someone facing a cancer diagnosis can cause them to feel quite uneasy and upset. At this time of great stress, they need to rely on the friends and relationships they know and love, and if those become stilted and unnatural, depression and

Upload: norman842rogers

Post on 08-Aug-2015

48 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Dealing With A Friend's Cancer Diagnosis

Dealing With A Friend's Cancer Diagnosis There is no denying the fact that learning of a friend or loved one's cancer diagnosis is an extremelytraumatic event.  You feel a strong need to provide assistance, but are unsure about how you canhelp.  The following article includes several useful tips you can use right away. 1.  Be an effective, compassionate listener.  It is quite likely that your friend or loved one is havingdifficulty coping in the immediate aftermath of their diagnosis, and could desperately use a friendlysounding board.  Your job is to provide a willing ear and a sturdy shoulder on which they can cry. Allow them to be completely candid and give them a safe place to air their deepest feelings andfears. 2.  Pay attention to your own feelings and concerns.  Working through your own emotions can giveyou insight into those of your friend.  You are likely experiencing panic, sadness and uncertainty, andfinding your way out of this dark place and focusing on the positive is a good way help the patient andtheir family do the same.   3.  Always donate your time and effort to assist with household tasks and everyday chores.  Doctorappointments, treatment sessions and the physical toll cancer takes on sufferers all combine to makecompletion of routine cleaning and home maintenance jobs extremely difficult.  Offering your time tohelp take care of these types of tasks can be an incredibly valuable gesture that allows the patient tosave their energy and preserve their health. 4.  Accompany your friend to doctor appointments and scheduled treatments.  Chemotherapy,radiation and medical testing can be very uncomfortable as well as frightening experiences. Therefore, going along on such appointments can provide a great sense of comfort and relief to acancer patient.  Taking the time to show your support in this way can mean a great deal to someonestruggling with the physical and emotional effects of this difficult journey. 5.  Act normally and do not stop joking and conversing as you usually would.  Altering your demeanoror suddenly adopting a serious tone when talking with someone facing a cancer diagnosis can causethem to feel quite uneasy and upset.  At this time of great stress, they need to rely on the friends andrelationships they know and love, and if those become stilted and unnatural, depression and

Page 2: Dealing With A Friend's Cancer Diagnosis

withdrawal can follow. 6.  Try not to overwhelm the patient with attention.  While it is vitally important to reassure your friendor loved one that you are fully committed to helping them in any way you can, take care not to overdoit.  Make it clear that you stand ready to assist whenever needed, but do not turn into a smotheringbusybody who does not know when to step back. 7.  Remember to let the patient know they are loved.  This may sound like an obvious piece of advice,but it is perhaps the most essential one.  A cancer diagnosis is a truly devastating event for anyone,and being reminded that you are loved can go a long way toward increasing overall positivity. The key really is to simply support and be present for any friend or loved one who receives thecrushing news that they have cancer.  By sharing their sadness, worries and triumphs alike, you canhelp make the process far more bearable than it might otherwise be. For More Information Click Here