Page 14 - Anna Doxie first new format

How to honor a breast cancer survivor

Meaningful and inexpensive gifts from the heart

By Jen Sachs

Leanne and her friend Joan walked down the quiet hall- to get permission from the local park association to plant
way of the medical building. Leanne had just heard the the tree and then invite her closest circle of support. Allow
news that her test results, to check to see if the cancer had each person to share how much the woman being honored
spread, had come back clean after receiving a double mas- means to them and offer words of encouragement.
tectomy the week before.
Make your friend the guest of honor
Minutes earlier the surgeon scanned the report after it Host a lingerie party for a friend who completed reconstruc-
came through on the fax machine. She casually told tion surgery. Give gift certificates or choose an elegant new
Leanne that everything looked fine and she probably bra or night gown to help your friend feel beautiful. Don’t
wouldn’t need radiation. forget to include a gift receipt if you give a gift. Depending
on your friend’s personality, make it fun and humorous with
As they left the room Joan made her best attempt to sup- breast-themed shower games and decorations, or for the
port Leanne by enthusiastically saying, “Wow!”, “That’s more reserved person have a quiet tea party with fancy
great news!”, and “Thank you God!”. finger foods and
pretty flowers.
Leanne was very quiet but responded, “What the surgeon
said is just not sinking in. I don’t feel like I can really believe Compile a recipe
her.” binder
Gather together fa-
The drive home was very quiet. Joan tried to show her sup-
-
14 port with occasional words, but mostly she listened to the vorite healthy recipes
few comments Leanne offered as she continued to express and make a cookbook
to promote health
that she was having trouble knowing how to process her for the future. Help
thoughts and how to think of life now that she had finished support your friend by
chemotherapy treatments and surgery. equipping her with a
binder or recipe box
A few weeks earlier another woman had shared with full of cancer- fight-
Leanne and Joan that she had experienced depression ing yummy recipes.
following her treatments and that this was common among Choose recipes that
breast cancer survivors as they transitioned to a new phase include ingredients
of their life.
that are high in antiox-
idants such as berries
Reflecting on her experience with Leanne, Joan couldn’t and colorful vegeta-
help but think that there must be a more effective way to bles and are also low
support her. in sugar. Have each
person who con-
There are several ways, Joan realized, that she could do tributes display the
just that. You don’t have to be an artist, just ingenious in recipe on a nice piece
finding simple ways to say “we love you and we are so of paper provided or
happy that you are okay.” Try honoring your friend with a recipe card in their
these meaningful and inexpensive gift ideas that don’t own creative way.
require artistic talent. Have the group meet
together for a pot-
Tree planting ceremony luck dinner with the
Plant a seedling or tree to symbolize the beginning of a new prepared recipe they
chapter of life and hold a life ceremony in honor of your contributed and pres-
friend. Involve her in deciding what type of tree she would ent the recipe book
like to plant and where it will be planted. She might like to or box to the guest of
have it planted in her own yard or a local park. Make sure honor.
March/April 2008