The Healing Path: Cancer Information and Community

"May we live into our truest calling as people who give and receive grace, forgiveness, and love.",  Emily P. Freeman

The thing about hardship—whether it’s a prolonged illness, a frightening diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or any other kind of trial—is that it strips away our filters. We’re often running on empty, caught in survival mode, and just trying to make it through the day. Whether you're the one in the thick of it or walking alongside someone who is, those moments tend to surface our deepest patterns and coping mechanisms. As Brené Brown puts it, fear often sends us running back to our “old friends”—those ingrained habits we developed to protect ourselves. I can only speak for myself; mine aren’t pretty.

When a close family member is diagnosed with cancer, it can be devastating. Your loved one will go through so much during his or her treatment—but the truth is, so will you. Keeping your strength and spirits up will be critical in the battle ahead, so if you’re one of the soldiers in this fight, here are a few tools to help along the way.

I’m a gifter.  Like a plan-all-year, wrap for days, ship coast-to-coast, proud gift-giver for holidays, birthdays and everything in between.  But when my friend was diagnosed with cancer, I drew a blank.  What do you give someone going through the worst days of their life?  Flowers?  Food?  All of it seemed not quite right.  What could I give that would be practical and useful but also thoughtful and sympathetic?  How was I going to put together the equivalent of a cancer care-package without any knowledge or experience with what she’s going through? How could I help?