Supporting a Friend Going Through Chemo-Induced Hair Loss
Hair, especially women’s hair, can be a part of one’s persona. And feeling like they are losing a piece of their persona to cancer treatment is understandably deeply upsetting.
Cancer U Podcast Interview
ANDREA WILSON WOODS founded the nonprofit organization Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. She is also the CEO and co-founder of Cancer University, a for-profit, social-benefit, digital health company. Link below to listen to a candid conversation between Andrea and TheBalmBox.com founder, Liz Benditt, about their cancer journeys and hope for future cancer patients. Listen to Podcast Interview
How Can I Help?
Ask any cancer patient - “How can I help?” is likely the #1 phrase well-meaning friends and family say when they hear about their diagnosis. But it’s also one of the most difficult lines of conversation to manage for patients. In the moment it’s hard for any patient to know what they will need until they are well into their treatment plans. At that point, so few patients (especially women!) are good at reaching out and asking for help. Most patients struggle with asking for help because they do not want to be a burden to their friends and family....
Self Care for Caregivers
Caring for those with cancer is really hard. There is that emotional pull of worry - how will the patient respond to treatments? Are they going to recover? The emotional drain of "not knowing" is real, and tricky.
What to say when a friend tells you she has Breast Cancer
When my friend @LindsBiel posted this fabulous video to Instagram, I KNEW we had to share it with our Balm Box audience. Lindsey was gracious enough to give us permission to share her story on TheBalmBox.com blog. Without further adieu, below find Lindsay's excellent advice regarding what to say when a friend tells you she has Breast Cancer. *** #1: Do not under any circumstance tell her about someone you now who died from the disease (not helpful nor uplifting). She wants to hear about the 30, 40, 50 year SURVIVOR not the person who passed away from the disease. #2: Don’t...
Top Tips for Nixing Nausea
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...