The Healing Path: Cancer Information and Community

At CaraKit, we believe that comfort isn’t a luxury — it’s a part of healing. Our founder, Kellie Whitton, created CaraKit after her own experience with cancer to help others feel cared for, understood, and supported during treatment. In this Q&A, Kellie shares honest thoughts, lessons learned, and tips for navigating the journey — whether you’re the one in treatment or someone who loves them.

"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.

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?