At first you are shocked at the news. Your loved one has been told by their doctor that cancer has been diagnosed. Of course you want to help but then you may wonder how. Is there a list of things to do and not to do when helping someone who has cancer?

Well yes there are several things you can and should do and some you should avoid. Here are a few tips.

First of all, don't change. Be yourself. The cancer news is one thing but nothing else has changed. You don't suddenly have to become a different person whenever you are around your loved one. Continue being the person you have always been. Your love and friendship is what is needed and definitely not an invented person. Be natural and be yourself.

If you are naturally someone with a sense of humor, continue in that vein. If you are a person who sees the funny side of things, continue in that way. Of course your loved one may feel sad and struggle but the one thing they need most of all is you as you've always been.

Be there or be available is a good tip. Sometimes an ill person can experience loneliness. If you are a visitor or a phone call away or a sender of letters and emails, that is a wonderful way to help. It may mean in conversations that you say little and spend most of the time listening. That's good. Listening is good, very good. But being available is a real plus to your friend.

Running errands and doing the simple and mundane things can be a huge help. A person who is seriously ill may not feel up to doing something or they may have the ability but not the inclination. You cannot overestimate the benefits you bring by doing the chores for someone in need.

Are you able to help with money matters? If the patient is struggling financially, that only increases their concern. If they have dependents the worry doubles. If you are able to pay a bill or buy some groceries or the cost of a child's school excursion, this small thing means so much. It is always better to give than receive and you will find great happiness in helping even in a small way.

Laughter is not a crime. In a serious life-threatening illness situation, it may seem inappropriate to laugh. Not so. If you find a get-well card with something humorous, send it to your loved one. Laughter is a great medicine and laugh lines are beautiful.

Practical help can often be in the form of transport. A person with cancer may need to visit medical centers for treatment and appointments. Not having to worry about the travel is a huge load off their mind. If you can be their taxi service, you will be doing a great job.

The help you can give is almost unlimited from the small, simple and inexpensive to anything bigger and more involved. Remember your kindness means a lot and besides, you'll get a real kick out of helping as well.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rita_Goldman

Having a father that was diagnosed with cancer put the reality of illness into my life. At the age of 19 I was faced with a dying father who did not know what to do. Even though I had my faith in God, I wanted some answers as to what was happening.

Having Hope is a trying situation:

Many times it is important to remain hopeful even though things may look bad or not in your favor, having important friends that can help you can take your life much further than you thought possible.Sometimes, all that is needed is a friend who can help in times of need rather than having someone who is what we as Americans coin "Party pooper."

Even though my father had a trying time while he was passing. There is still the ability to rejoice and remain hopeful in the face of cancer. It is important when you have emotional wells that open up to remain calm and relaxed as much as possible. This will keep the emotion from completely taking you over.

Here are some small tips to help see the bright side of trying emotional times.

1. Pray daily, it is important to remain and keep a strong spiritual connection when you are going through hard times, this helps to channel your energy in other places rather than on the problem itself, or on the future, it is important to "be here now", when emotions may get in the way.

2. Remember that cancer is not always terminal. New treatments are available that can help suffers overcome certain cancers. There are numerous stories of cancer survivors, miracles, and remission that shock doctors everyday.

3. Read spiritual enlightening material daily -- This can help keep your mind fresh and aware of everything that is happening to you and it will help give you a good perspective of your situation



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_N_Tomlins

Oral cancer is one of the most deadly cancers that we can get. If it is left untreated you can expect to live about five years. However if it is diagnosed early, it is one of the more treatable cancers.

There are about twenty eight to thirty thousand people diagnosed with oral cancer each year. Some risk factors include, men over fifty years of age, folks who consume alcohol, and those that use tobacco. Some other factors include poor eating habits, obesity, lack of exercise, family history, or a history of head and neck cancer.

If you smoke, chew, use a pipe, smoke cloves or any other type or use of tobacco and drink alcohol, then you are at highest risk. Smokers are at high risk; while drinkers are at an elevated risk but somewhat lower than smokers.

Treatment of oral cancer can include surgery, prescription drugs, and or chemotherapy. Of course your doctor will know the best treatment options for you.

The best way to reduce your risk is by behavior modification. If you quit smoking you can reduce your risk of getting oral cancer. If you have had oral cancer in the past then you will certainly reduce your risk of getting it again. When you quit smoking you reduce your risk of getting many other cancers as well.

Here are the seven deadly symptoms you need to be aware of.

1. A lump in your neck
2. An earache
3. Loose teeth
4. White or red patches in your mouth
5. Oral bleeding
6. Mouth sores that won't go away
7. Pain and or difficulty swallowing

If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately.

The best advice I can give you is prevention. You can be ahead of the curve if you eat more fruits and vegetables, quit smoking, loose weight, and limit alcohol use and exercise. Also have your dentist screen you for oral cancer yearly or as directed.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_Bauer

Everyone is different and so it is difficult to accurately describe the reaction you may have to the news of your loved one's cancer. It is possible though to cover some of the feelings you will experience and some of the reactions you may have.

We are likely to feel a variety of emotions including shock, anger and despair. Guilt, anxiety and depression are other reactions we might experience. All of these feelings are part of a natural reaction. We did not expect the news and so therefore it is a shock to our brain. We are angry that fate has chosen someone special to us to be a victim and we may feel despair because we feel there is little we can do.

Shock is usually a short-lived reaction. Once our brain has computed the news and we have had time to think about things, the shock begins to wear off. We slowly return to a non-shocked state of being. So while the initial feeling can be severe and even traumatic, it will pass. We will get over our shock.

Anger is a different emotion. If we can find someone to blame, we may wish to vent our anger at that person or thing but often with the diagnosis of cancer, we can't find anyone or anything to blame. We might be angry at our faith if we have one or some other person or event. But anger from us will not help anyone. Certainly it won't help you as you don't think clearly and your loved one won't be pleased to see you in that agitated frame of mind.

So the best thing to do with anger is to channel that energy into something positive, something worthwhile. If that means reading about alternative treatments then throw yourself into that project. Whatever you do don't let the anger burn away inside as that will only make things worse.

Despair is a terrible quality. So many people fall into despair and lose their will to fight. Your loved one who is ill will gain no benefit from seeing or hearing you in despair. This is a call to arms time. This is a situation where you simply have to change direction and force yourself to think positive thoughts. Your loved one needs help and for that you must be calm and strong and never - never in despair. You can overcome despair with action which is helpful. Find worthwhile things to do to occupy your time and if those things help your loved one then so much the better.

Honesty is nearly always the best policy in dealing with a sick friend. They want you to be honest or certainly they don't want you to be dishonest making promises you can't keep.

Remember that whatever you are going through in terms of your feelings, your loved one is going through all that and more. They are the one with the diagnosis and they are the one who needs your love and support. Whatever your feelings, control them, turn them to good thoughts or replace them with positive and practical actions. We can't stop reacting a certain way but we can try to handle those reactions and help both our loved one and ourselves.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rita_Goldman