Basket ideas for breast cancer patient

[RitaZ.]

The wife of one of DH's colleagues was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Last week, she had a port (?) put in to help treat the tumor. Anyway, DH says that this past weekend was very hard on her and the family. DH has offered help to them, but he didn't take him up on it. I'd like to make a basket for his wife just to make her day a little brighter. I've only met her his wife at work related functions, so I really don't know her likes/dislikes. She is a teacher.

I'm looking for ideas for a basket from those women that have been through this. I'd like to know if there was a particular item(s) that helped during that difficult time.

TIA

 

[powellrj]

truthfully, with a family, food would be the most help. While I didn't have cancer, I did have surgery twice this year and while the gift baskets were nice, they were really just more stuff sitting around waiting for thank-you notes to be written, while the food was really a god send.

People had offered to bring food before, but I always just turned them down. The last time, they didn't offer, they just brought and I had no idea how wonderful it was. For almost 2 weeks my family had a hot dinner every night waiting on them that all they had to do was eat it and throw away the pans.

If you could, don't ask what can you do, just tell them you will bring dinner on X night and then see if they take you up on that.

 

[Scutapipig]

For a basket, maybe books/magazines, gentle cd's (classical, piano), lotion.

When our friend's husband went through surgery, we sent them some gift cards. One was for the local grocery store and one was for a fast food chain. After spending days at the hospital, Mom could just swing by and pick up dinner.

Contact a cleaning agency to come in and clean their house for them one day.

 

[imabrat]

I go through chemotherapy now and here's some stuff I would like in a giftbasket.

Me,I would opt for giftcards to resteraunts(McDonald's and such)for the days when we have to travel to Philly for treatment.
Also,plenty of stuff to do during treatments.
Do you know if she'll be recieveing them in a clinic or in the hospital?
Maybe ITunes giftcards if she has an IPod?
How about crossword puzzle books/Sudoku?
Or putting movies into the giftbasket?

 

[coles1mom]

My mom received such a basket. It had fancy note cards and stamps, (these came in handy to write thank you notes on.) a puzzle book, ink pens, fancy hand soap & lotion, sugar free candy (the hard kind). Sorry, I can't recall what else.

Hope all goes well for the family. It has for my mom.

Judi

 

[Alaska Catdog]

I had a co-worker go through breast cancer treatment last year. We found out how many days her treatment would take, then made a construction paper chain with jokes and memories and inspirational statements written on each one. Every day she unlinked a chain and read the message and knew how much we cared for her and saw how much closer she was to being done. We worked in a school and had the students participate in writing the messages. She seemed to really like it and it was fun doing too.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Movies (don't know if you can prepay a Netflix or Blockbuster membership but that would be cool since they are delivered and could also help keep the family entertained), music, meal gift cards, magazines, puzzle books, maybe something with pink ribbons like a book mark or an bc angel or a survivor ribbon for her car, hard candy, be careful about fragrances (some people are sensitive during treatment), soft slipper socks, I got the cutest bc bear that I treasure

Think of things you'd like to have nearby if you were feeling ill or sitting around a lot. I'm sure those things would be appreciated.

 

[RitaZ.]

Great ideas for the basket! I plan to put it together in the next couple of days.

This family has been through a lot in the past few years and now they have to deal with this. My DD has been collecting the lids from Yoplait yogurt, Save a Lid to Saves Lives. Not a huge thing, but every little bit helps.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Please tell your daughter that I said thank you!