Breast Cancer Gift Ideas

According to The American Cancer Society, the average risk of a woman in the US developing breast cancer in her life is 13%, adding up to one out of every eight women. Not only is that an alarming number, but it also means that your chances of knowing and caring about someone effected by the disease is extraordinarily high.

I’m always being asked for ideas on what to get their friends and loved ones during different phases of breast cancer treatment. Every woman handles a cancer diagnosis differently. There are so many different treatments, some harder to tolerate than others. Every woman has a different support system. Some have families that are able to drop everything to help them. Others might not have family at all. Some women have an income that allows them to purchase helpful items to make their treatment easier. Others may struggle to make the co-pays. Because everyone’s cancer journey is different, here are a wide range of ideas to help you show your cancer warrior how much you care.

Food- We show our love for others with food. My friend started a Meal Train for me and it was heaven sent. I knew when meals were coming in so I could plan my week accordingly. The Meal Train organizer can give meal suggestions and list any dietary restrictions there may be.

If you aren’t overly handy in the kitchen or you just aren’t sure what to fix, choose a restaurant that offers delivery and send a gift card. UberEats and DoorDash are also amazing options. There were nights when I planned on cooking and just didn’t feel like it. It was so nice to make a call and, poof, food would appear at my doorstep.

Books and magazines- Breast cancer patients practically live in waiting rooms and doctors offices. Books and magazines are a wonderful way to pass the time.

Cozy Blanket- Let’s talk about those waiting rooms and doctor’s offices for a quick minute. They’re as cold as ice. And the majority of time is spent sitting around in a gown that is as super thin as it is ill-fitting. When the gown is tied in the front, the fabric gaps at the chest. You get a breeze and end up showing off more than you’d wanted. Sending a cozy blanket will really come in handy. It will keep her warm and modest! If you want to achieve rockstar status, have one made from uploaded photos on Snapfish, Shutterfly or even Walmart.

Tote Bag- In the timespan of 3 weeks, I had met with a Breast Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon, Radiation Oncologist, Medical Oncologist, and Genetisist. The amount of paperwork, information, appointment cards and bills to keep track of was insane. Choosing a cute tote bag and stocking it with items such as folders, notebooks (To keep track of questions), and a business card holder would make a fun and quite useful gift. It can be kept stocked at the door and thrown in the car before each appointment. Make sure it’s big enough to hold a blanket, water bottle and snacks!

Offer to Drive to Appointments- If you think that your friend/sister/mother is going to appointments or treatments alone, offer to drive them. It is no fun going through all this, and most folks do not want to do it alone. If they are comfortable with you going into the visit with them, offer to take notes so the patient can focus on what the doctor is saying and ask questions.

Cleaning- Depending on the treatment, many women simply cannot clean the house. After a mastectomy for example, you can not lift your arms for a few weeks. Forget vacuuming, dusting or laundry. You can offer to help clean the house or find a service of someone who can.

Big Water Cup- No matter which treatment your warrior is going through, she should stay hydrated. A super cute tervis or water bottle that reflects her personality is a fun and useful gift. It can be from her alma mater or even her favorite sports team. One of mine says “It’s five o’clock somewhere!” and it always makes me smile! Make sure if a mastectomy is involved it has a straw. If she is going through chemotherapy, fill it with mints or lemon drops. The candy helps get rid of the metal taste during treatment and anytime the nurses flush her port.

Journal- A journal can have several different uses for someone dealing with cancer. For those that are overly thoughtful, writing down their feeling daily can be very helpful. I used mine to track symptoms during chemo so I could forecast my week as therapy continued. I knew that the day after treatment I would feel great, the day after was my more nauseous day and that the bone pain would come the day after that.

Coloring Book and Crayons/Colored Pencils- Another friend of mine who always loved coloring with her daughter brought me a coloring book. This specific one had some pretty “colorful” words describing cancer. Other themes to choose from are travel, nature, and patterns. It was really relaxing to sit with some pencils and drift off into something as nostalgic as coloring.

Here are a few ideas for warriors specific to those getting a mastectomy.

A Self-Care Package- Put together some items to keep your warriors skin from getting dry after surgery. Examples are organic lip balm, lotions, cuticle cream. But as I’ve said before, be careful with scents. My favorite scent, lavender, became unbearable. After getting on with my post-cancer life, one whiff of that stuff takes me right back to that place of helplessness. It reminds me of drainage tubes and not being able to put lotion on my own legs.

Gift Cards for Shampoos/Blowouts- This is one of my favorite gift ideas. I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt as disgusting as I did post mastectomy. My breasts were replaced by awful scars and non-inflated tissue expanders that looked just as bad as they felt. Underneath them, drains hung from my sides. Because post-mastectomy arms stay in a t-rex position, I had to rely on someone else to help me shower. My husband is a pretty fine man, but he was unable to take care of my long naturally curly hair. I went to a salon and had it washed, conditioned and blown out. I went once a week for about a month. It was really the only thing that made me feel normal. Gift cards for manicures or pedicures would be a great idea as well. I know I would have enjoyed sitting in a massage chair having my legs and feet rubbed for an hour.

Button-Down Shirt- The whole t-rex arms thing also makes it impossible to wear a shirt that goes over your head. Button-down shirts are the solution. It should be a comfortable material as skin is easily agitated after surgery. Go for one that is oversized as it must accommodate the drains and they are just more comfortable that way.

Gift Boxes- I spent over 2 weeks in a chair. Not only is the chair boring, but during that time, warriors get pathology results, bills, and other things that cause worry. For you creative folks, there are several fun gift boxes you could put together. A family movie night gift box may be cute. Put together microwave popcorn, theater candy, and some DVDs into a cute popcorn box. If you want to go the extra mile, put a pizza gift card inside and it’s a “dinner and a movie” night.

“Together we are tougher than cancer.”