What you do and say makes this thing a whole lot better for me.
You…
- Keep in regular contact and adopt a ‘no fuss approach’. Thank you.
- Talk to me about my child’s cancer. I need to talk about it. It’s a huge part of our life now. Thank you.
- Pick up the siblings, drop off groceries or prepare a meal. You take out our bins on bin day, cut the grass, wash the car. Thank you.
- Ask if you could go to my house before I come home from the hospital to give it a clean. We don’t really need this but it is so specific and I can see you want to do something practical. You wash my bed linen instead. Thank you.
- Play with my child so that I can pop out for some fresh air or go for a shower. Thank you.
- Are there for ME. You love my child but you are the only one who makes me feel normal! You are also the first person to check in if he’s not doing OK. Thank you.
- Overwhelm me with an outpouring of love, understanding and empathy. Thank you.
- Set up a meal train for our kid’s lunches. It is so nice to know that so many people want to help. I even had a mum say that her heart was filled with love when she made those lunches. Thank you.
- Arrange a meal train so that every Monday there is a lovely home cooked meal for us. If you had offered I would’ve said no. Thank you.
- Prepare food and meals for us which is a huge stress relief especially with lots of hospital stays! You cut our grass if summertime. Thank you.
- Phone to check in and to see if we need anything from the store. Thank you.
- Send cards and little gifts and include all the siblings as you know they tend to get pushed aside when a brother or sister has cancer. Thank you.
- Pay for an ironing lady to do two black bags of ironing. You just gave me her number and said just call her when you’re ready. Thank you.
- Gave me a couple of Costa gift cards…for coffee at the hospital, or if I just wanted to escape for a quiet cuppa etc. Thank you.
- Sent my child an iTunes gift card to download games or films etc. Thank you.
- Made up a parcel of PJs and toiletries both for me & my child. Thank you.
