What To Get Someone Who Is Going Through Cancer Treatment: The Cold Weather Edition

November 12, 2015 by Carrie 5 Comments

There’s a chill in the air.  The leaves are changing from green to maroon, mustard, brown and florescent orange.  It’s time to start packing up those summer dresses and fill the closets with chunky sweaters and corduroy.  It’s seems so simple.  So easy.  But for someone going through cancer treatment, the change of the seasons can be stressful.  How do you deal with the cold when your hair is gone?  How do you stay cozy when every part of your body is in pain or discomfort?  How do you feel pretty when your body has been altered?  It’s hard to know how to help someone you care about when they are going through cancer treatment.  But there are ways you can show your support and love.

As always, you can provide support in the form of services.  Offer to do laundry or pay for laundry service.  Prepare a simple but nutritious meal or give a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant for home delivery.  You can give a gift card to fresh direct or instacart so that they can order groceries from their couch.  If the person you know has children, you can offer to take them out for the day for a fun excursion or offer childcare while they go to chemo or doctor’s appointments.  These are the gifts that are priceless.  But if you want to give/send something in the form of a gift, I think these items would do nicely.

1.  Hats!!!  This Land’s End Fleece Hat looks soft and cozy.  I like the different colors and patterns they come in.  This hat has a sense of humor.  So does this and this.  It’s made of wool though so a good knit cap would work well underneath it.  I love this black beaded number for something a little more dressy.  I’m not sure how this would look but this rabbit fur hat must feel DIVINE!!!!  But sometimes cashmere will do the trick.
   

   Eugenia Kim hat from Saks Fifth Avenue

2. Someone please get me (or someone else going through treatment) this cashmere robe.  This velvet number is so old Hollywood and would make me feel sexy no matter what I was going through.  Your favorite diva would love this faux fur robe for chemo treatments!  This colorful robe would bring life and joy to any hospital room!
   

   Sleepy Jones robe from Anthropologie

3. Chemo induced hot flashes are a bitch.  These pajamas can help a little bit.  You can get silk, or the fake kind.
   

   Silk pajamas from journelle.com

4. What a great, soft looking sweater.  The sleeves are great for those with lymphedema who might need to do bandaging after seeing the physical therapist.  This one too and the neckline is perfect for chemo days but it’s a real splurge.  Here’s a less expensive alternative.  This chunky sweater coat is perfect for snuggling up in on cold chemo days.  You can never go wrong with a cashmere hoodie!
   

   Chunky seater coat from ASOS.

5. Not sure what to say to someone who has cancer?  Let these cards do the talking for you.  Emily McDowell makes the most humorous yet heartfelt empathy cards.  Maybe you just want to give cancer the middle finger or let them know you want to hold their hand even if you can’t be near with these Nicstudio cards.  This card really does say it all.  And I love this card for letting your loved one know that your support doesn’t end when chemo does.
   

   “Flip The Bird” card from TheNicStudio on etsy.

6. Chemo can give you the worst taste in your mouth.  I bet these ginger lollipops would help with that and the nausea.  I love the packaging on these lemon candies.  But you could always go with the original Lemonheads.
   

   Lemon candies from Eataly.

7. Some women, after losing their hair, like to get fancy with their jewelry, particularly earrings.  This pair has so many beautiful colors in it and it’s still simple and timeless.  These earrings are so eye catching.  For a woman who is not afraid to make a bold statement, these feather earrings are incredible.  These chandelier earrings are simple but beautiful and classic.  These hoop earrings are less gypsy and more rock and roll (and a major splurge) but these are way more affordable.
   

   Arman Jewelry Serpent Hoop Earrings sold at The Clay Pot.

8. I love everything in Knit Mystique’s etsy shop but these hand knit long socks are just amazing.  These shark slippers made me laugh and I think they would be great for hospital stays.
   

   Hand knit long socks from Knit Mistique

9. I think temporary tattoos are so much fun!  These from the MOMA shop are whimsical.  These are a little more adult and badass.  These motivational tattoos gently remind you to remember some of the good things in your life.  These 3D butterfly tattoos are amazing.
   

   Motivational tattoo from Pop Shop UK

10. Keep hands toasty with these adorable convertible fox gloves.  The colors in these mittens will brighten any day.  These gorgeous, cashmere gloves are beautifully knit.
    

    Color Block Gloves from Anthropologie.

11. Here are some ideas to keep that chemo brain active.  This coloring scratch and sketch book looks so awesome!  I really want one.  While this is not making things by hand, necessarily, my new obsession is designing shoes on Shoes of Prey. A gift card for this would be splendid!  This adult paint by numbers looks incredible!!!  What a great way to spend an infusion day!  I love the idea of terrarium kits!  This is just one but etsy.com has lots to choose from.
    

    Terrarium kit from Bird and Feather on etsy.com

    These are just a few ideas.  There’s so much you can do for someone you care about who is going through cancer treatment.  I got so many generous gifts and words of love and I loved them all.  It is really the thought that counts.

What gifts did you get during cancer treatment that you loved?  What would you have liked as a gift to get you through the cold weather season?

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