It is great having a patient in your family to have complete remission and a good prognosis. Surviving cancer is a journey itself which can be mentally exhausting for the patient and their loved ones. However, the work and responsibility do not end there as in the aftermath of the disease, a survivor would yet require physical and emotional support from you.
In such a situation, the family requires to be vigilant and understand the developing needs of the particular phase. Many patients fear the chance of relapse, so are generally motivated to incorporate a healthy lifestyle and do everything in their autonomy to avoid recurrence of the disease. If your family member managed to defeat the disease, you are then required to follow a set of rules and principles associated with your treatment of them. You still have a magnified role and there is still a lot to do.
Most people require an adequate direction in order to plan their course of action when it comes to supporting a cancer survivor. In order to not mess up anything, the following are the tips that should be followed necessarily:
Be their emotional outlet – Surviving the disease is not all. They would always be laden with the trauma and emotional burden of cancer. The mental effects should never be ignored and when a patient develops certain conditions, it is important to help and support them so they may cope up with it. They would always need someone to talk to. They may have insomnia, PTSD, sleeping problems and depression. Empathizing with their condition, offering to listen, providing constant encouragement and positivity would be key.
Plan goals for them – It is really a matter of being handed a new life, and you are supposed to enchant their experience with positivity. Plan out goals with them. Take them to places. Travel, watch movies, hang out, attend parties, get engage in humanitarian projects, etc. It is required for you to get them engaged in everything that would make them feel good about themselves.
Take advance measures of help – Expert help is always key here. A good example here is how people based in Lafayette, Acadiana have always trusted this one cancer center for their loved ones. Miles Perret Cancer Services offers emotional and physical therapy programs for patients and survives. Seeking help and enrolling in programs of the platform is free of cost since the organization solely runs of public funding. You can find games, activity programs, support groups, socializing activities, and whatnot, here at MPCS. It is one institution that is popular among both patients and survivors who reflect upon their experience with Miles Perret Cancer Services as a primary component in their road to recovery. If you want to do more than that, you can also donate the organization starting from a little donation of $10 to as much as you like. Plus, they have a WISH-LIST which you can definitely check out if you need some ideas in making up your mind!
Monitor their condition – Keep a strict measure of their prevailing condition, continue seeking advice from doctors and oncology experts, read about different symptoms and act readily, if need be.
Keep yourself in check – You may also be going through a lot in your life and let’s admit it, the experience does take a toll on you. So, it is better to keep your health in check and do everything you can to be physically and emotionally in balance. Exercise, eat healthily, cut down on nasty habits and practice mindfulness.