How to Navigate Cancer in the Family: Helping Family Members Through the Difficult Cancer Journey

Navigating cancer in the family can be a challenging and often overwhelming experience. All family members should be informed, listened to, and respected to provide the best possible support throughout their loved one's cancer journey. It is important to provide a safe and stable environment for the cancer patient, as well as for other family members so that everybody can benefit from the support and understanding of each other. It is also important to have open and honest communication between all family members. 

Prepare for the emotional roller coaster.

Cancer can affect everyone in a family differently and at different times during the journey. When your loved one begins treatment, prepare yourself for any number of emotions. You might experience confusion about what is happening and anger that your loved one cannot get better on his own or faster than he does now. You might also feel fear or guilt because you believe something could have been done differently or better if only someone had been aware earlier and acted accordingly. You may also experience sadness that no one anticipated this possibility or expected it would happen to them. They did not protect themselves by getting tested earlier, or maybe they should have gone under the knife sooner, but now there is nothing left to do except sit back and watch while this happens over weeks and months until hopefully it's over soon enough.

Keep in mind that everyone handles the news differently.

Don't be surprised if your loved one doesn't instantly respond to your questions and concerns. For example, one family member might be more upset than another, or one person might not want to talk about it at all. Don't take it personally; we all handle trauma differently.

Keep in mind that everyone handles the news differently. You may have difficulty understanding why someone is so emotional or doesn't want to talk about it. This can be frustrating, especially because you want to help them cope with the news and feel better. But try not to worry about how your loved one is handling the news — focus on helping them get through this difficult time.

Be an active listener.

If a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, be sure to listen and talk about what's happening in their life. Listen to their feelings about the diagnosis and treatment. Be patient and supportive during this time.

You may feel overwhelmed by the situation at first and want to do everything for your loved one — from cooking meals to taking care of finances and household chores. But it's important that you take time for yourself, too — especially if you're struggling emotionally or physically with how your family member is handling the situation.

Be there physically and emotionally.

It's important to be available and available to your family members. If they need to talk, talk with them. If they need to cry, let them cry it out. If they need a hug, give them one.

Be there for them when they need you the most. When a loved one is going through cancer treatment, it might not seem like anything is wrong or that there's anything they can do about it until it's too late. And that's where family members can really help: by being there for each other and making sure everyone knows what's happening in the family so everyone stays informed about what is going on with their loved one's health and treatment plans.

Create a support system.

One of the most important things you can do for your family members is to create a support system. This can be as simple as having them over for dinner or inviting them to tea after work.

Remember that cancer is an incredibly stressful time, so having someone to talk with about what's going on will help alleviate some of the stress.

If you don't have family members who are close enough to come over, consider creating or joining a Facebook group or forum where people can share their stories and experiences.

Practice healthy self-care habits like exercise, sleep, and a balanced diet.

Self-care is a key part of living a healthy life. It's essential to your well-being and can help you cope with stress, anxiety, and depression.

While cancer is a serious health condition that deserves our utmost attention, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the right tools, you can navigate cancer in the family and help family members through this challenging journey.

Here are some tips on how to do just that:

Practice healthy self-care habits like exercise, sleep, and a balanced diet.

Seek positivity and center yourself amongst the chaos (we know how hard it is)! Cancer doesn't define you as a person — it's not something that defines who someone is any more than any other disease can. Cancer doesn't define who you are. You define yourself.

No doubt, it can be difficult to know how to help a family member or friend dealing with cancer. But if you're willing to put in the effort and make the necessary changes, it's not impossible. They may even find that they feel better with someone else taking on shouldering the weight of this immense and difficult time.