Blogs
Breast Surgery Recovery and How to Offer Support
When someone you love is recovering from breast cancer surgery, it's natural to feel lost. You want to help — but it's hard to know what that actually looks like. The truth is, the most meaningful support rarely comes from grand gestures. It comes from showing up consistently, paying attention, and making life a little easier during a time when everything feels hard. The people who help with the small things — without being asked, without making a big deal of it — are the ones who make the biggest difference.
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4 Gift Ideas for Men with Cancer (He’ll Actually Use)
Practical and thoughtful gift ideas for men with cancer, from comfort essentials to curated men’s care packages.
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Mastectomy Recovery: What Actually Helps (and How to Support Someone Through It)
If you or someone you love is facing recovery from mastectomy, let me start with this: it’s not just about healing an incision. It’s about healing a body, a nervous system, and often a sense of self — all at the same time.
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Small Ways To Help Support Cancer Surgery Recovery
Recovering from surgery is an ordeal your loved one shouldn’t have to face alone. Be there for them with these ways to help support cancer surgery recovery.
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Rest & Recovery After Cancer Treatments: Challenges and Support for Friends and Family
Written by Liz Benditt When cancer treatment ends, it's often seen as a huge victory. But for many cancer survivors, the weeks and months following surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are just as challenging as the treatments themselves. Recovery after cancer is a complex process, both physically and emotionally. The body, mind, and spirit have endured an exhausting battle, and the journey back to health requires careful attention, patience, and support from loved ones. One of the major challenges of recovery is the fatigue that follows cancer treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation take a heavy toll on the body, depleting energy reserves and weakening the immune system. Survivors often experience deep, lingering tiredness that doesn’t go away with a good night’s sleep. This exhaustion can make it difficult for them to engage in even the simplest tasks, leading to frustration or feelings of helplessness. It’s essential for friends and family to understand that this fatigue is not laziness—it’s a normal part of the body’s healing process after cancer. Another significant challenge is the emotional aftermath. The fear of recurrence is a very real concern for many cancer survivors. After months of intense focus on treatments, tests, and doctors’ visits, the sudden shift to post-treatment life can feel unsettling. Survivors may struggle with anxiety, depression, or the emotional toll of what they’ve been through. It’s not uncommon for individuals to feel disconnected or misunderstood by others, even by those closest to them. This emotional burden can make recovery feel overwhelming and lonely, which is why support from friends and family is so crucial. For loved ones, knowing how to help a cancer survivor through this phase can be difficult. Here are a few ways to best support friends and family members as they recover from cancer: Be Present: After the whirlwind of cancer treatments, survivors may need time to process their experience. Simply being there—whether for a conversation, a quiet visit, or just to offer comfort—can be incredibly meaningful. It’s important to listen without offering solutions, as they may need to vent their frustrations or fears. Encourage Rest: Even though cancer treatments have ended, rest remains essential. Encourage your loved one to listen to their body and take breaks when needed. Offer to help with household chores, errands, or caregiving duties so they can focus on recuperation. Be mindful not to pressure them to “bounce back” quickly, as recovery is not a race. Celebrate Small Wins: Recovery after cancer happens gradually. Celebrating small milestones—like regaining strength, completing a walk, or simply feeling better for a few hours—can help shift the focus from what’s been lost to what’s being regained. Respect Their Space: Cancer survivors may feel overwhelmed by social interactions at times. Allow them the space to withdraw or cancel plans if they need to. They may need time to rebuild their mental and physical stamina, and that’s okay. Offer Practical Support: Whether it’s preparing meals, driving them to follow-up appointments, or organizing medication schedules, practical support can ease the burden of post-cancer recovery. Keep in mind that while physical strength may return slowly, cognitive function may also take time to recover due to “chemo brain” or the cognitive effects of cancer treatments. Provide Emotional Reassurance: Fear of cancer recurrence is a common post-treatment worry. Reassure your loved one that their feelings are valid and that you’re there to support them through the emotional ups and downs. Encourage them to seek professional help if their anxiety or depression persists. Recovery from cancer is a marathon, not a sprint. The end of treatments does not mean an immediate return to normal life. Friends and family play an essential role in helping cancer survivors navigate this delicate transition period. By offering understanding, patience, and support, you can be a vital part of their healing process, allowing them to focus on rebuilding their strength and well-being as they move forward.
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Summer Care Tips for Cancer Patients: Four Tips to Stay Safe, Keep Cool, and Comfort Skin with The Balm Box
Summer allows all of us to have more fun outside, but for cancer patients, more risks present themselves. Don't worry though – with a few thoughtful precautions, everyone can enjoy the warm weather safely.
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Top Tips for Nixing Nausea
Written by Liz Benditt It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year – but for friends and family undergoing chemo, the smell of pine and gingerbread could be causing them more pain than joy. Here are our TOP THREE TIPS to help a friend or family reduce their nausea over the Holidays - or really any time of the year! DRINK, DRINK, DRINK, and DRINK SOME MORE Encourage them to drink more fluids. Many folks undergoing chemotherapy need to drink at least two quarts of fluids per day – if they are vomiting it’s important to replace lost fluids to avoid dehydration. We love the stainless-steel tumbler in our Nix Nausea Box, as well as the teapot and flavored tea drops found in our Cancer Care and Rest & Recovery boxes for just this reason! DE-SCENT THEIR SURROUDINGS Strong smells can be triggering for chemo patients. Walk through their living space and remove any/all items with scents – think candles, potpourri, peppermints, coffee, perfumes, living plants, and floral arrangements just to name a few. If they’re doing "Chemo for Christmas", this is the year to consider investing in a FAKE TREE without an odor. The one scent we DO recommend is the essential oil blend in this Nix Nausea Essential Oil Roll On, filled with juuust the right combination of organic essential oils used to reduce nausea and vomiting. It can also be found in our Nix Nausea Box. DISTRACT THEM Sometimes, mind over matter can absolutely help a patient – soothing music, books on tape, podcasts, and movies can all be helpful in reorienting their mind away from their nausea. We also love the geometric coloring book found in our Cancer Care and Rest & Recovery boxes, for a simple tool to redirect the mind and focus on a simple task/creative project. Got any other tips and tricks to share? We'd love to hear them! Send us a note or post in the comments. Take care and know that we're here to help. *** It goes without saying that I am NOT a physician, have no medical degree, am not offering formal advice or cures or promises or anything that a mean-spirited lawyer might in any way suggest I am taking responsibility for your personal decisions or treatment. Just providing authentic advice based on personal experience.
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