How to Truly Help Blood Cancer Caregivers and What to Possibly Avoid

Blood cancer care partners brainstormed ways their communities can support them in effective ways. Read their ideas below to learn how you can support blood cancer care partners and what to think twice about before doing so. 

Caregivers, share this article with your loved ones so they know how they can help! 

Ways to Help Blood Cancer Caregivers 

Unspoken Simple Tasks 

Sometimes, the most meaningful acts of service include simple actions that care partners weren't even aware they needed. 

These could include: 

• Bringing in/out the trash or recycling bins on trash day
• Shoveling snow
• Bringing gift cards (or, when requested, food)
• Treat drop-offs to let you know you were thinking of them
• Mowing the lawn

Pre-Arranged Tasks 

If you know of a loved one who is taking care of someone with blood cancer, consider offering to do one of these pre-arranged tasks. 

• Rides to treatment
• Errands/chores
• Sunshine basket (care baskets with crosswords, hygiene products, snacks, etc. for hospital stays)
• Freezer/crockpot meals
• Take care of pets
• Pick up prescriptions
• Sign up for UPS/FedEx deliveries requiring signatures
• Make hotel and flight reservations
• Negotiate price with airline due to "medical flight" status
• Help resolve insurance issues 

Perhaps one of the most important things that you can do for care partners is arrange time for them to take care of themselves. Ask if you can spend time with the patient so that they can participate in activities such as: 

• Nail appointments
• Hair/spa appointments
• Walks or other forms of exercise
• Movie 

Spiritual Check-ins 

If appropriate and applicable, you might want to consider checking in with your friends and family who are care partners and ask how they are doing spiritually. Be careful not to come off as condescending, and be sensitive to the fact that some people might be going through a faith crisis after being diagnosed with cancer. 

You could consider: 

• Checking in with people from your religious circle
• Sharing you are praying for them and ask if there are any specific prayer requests they have
• Share inspiring and comforting scriptures to remind them they are not alone 

Mental Health Check-ins

Check in with your loved ones' care partners to make sure they are doing well mentally and emotionally. Even when the care partner has a positive attitude, the role can be lonely and draining. Knowing you have a strong support system who is checking in on you is very helpful. 

Consider sharing the following: 

• Share encouraging words
• Validation of emotions: Letting the caregiver know it's ok to feel the way they feel
• Keep them included: Even if they're not available, keep inviting them to book clubs, parties, dinners, and get-togethers so they feel included
• Care plan: Create checklists for them to ensure they are taking care of themselves. Supportively hold them accountable for their own health
• Be an ear to vent to
• Remember important days and “celebrate” or acknowledge them
• Do a non-cancer activity together (stream a movie, craft, play games, etc.)
• Shared caregiving responsibilities like loved ones taking “shifts” to care for patients in/out of the hospital

Think Twice Before Doing This for Caregivers 

While we know that you have good intentions, you may want to think twice before doing the following when trying to help blood cancer care partners:

• Pushing food or delivering food without asking
• Sharing unwanted/unasked-for medical advice
• Sharing doubt about diagnosis
• Sharing horror stories about diagnosis or other sicknesses/cancers

When in doubt, ask the care partners you would like to help and what would be most helpful. Come up with ideas to help, and ask them if they would feel comfortable with that in their lives at this time. 

While improving the quality of life of blood cancer patients is important, let's also work to improve the lives of blood cancer care partners. 

Summary 

Blood cancer care partners shared insightful ways their community can offer practical and emotional support to enhance their caregiving roles. Effective help can range from performing simple, often overlooked tasks like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash to more involved assistance such as managing errands, offering rides to treatment, or even arranging self-care opportunities for the care partners themselves. 

Additionally, it's important to approach support with sensitivity, avoiding imposing food or unwanted advice and instead focusing on meaningful, consented assistance that respects the care partner's needs and preferences.

Connect to Other Caregivers!

Visit one of the links below to learn from and speak to other blood cancer care partners. HealthTree groups we have so far include: 

• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
• Follicular lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
• Myelofibrosis