How to Get the Help You'll Need to Care for Your Parent With Breast Cancer

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Quick summary

The cardinal rule of caring for a parent with cancer is that no caregiver can do it alone. The following categories of care will help remind you which things need immediate attention when someone asks, "How can I help?"

Cooking and serving

Cooking up a meal is a natural first instinct when we learn that someone is sick, but your parent doesn't need a kitchen full of uneaten casseroles. When friends or relatives offer to bring food, be specific about your parent’s needs and how you'd like the food prepared.

  • Make copies of your parent’s favorite recipes, or recipes for foods he has asked for, and hand them out. Or, better still, scan and e-mail the recipes.
  • Mention specific dos and don'ts. If your parent has food allergies, is a vegetarian or a meat-and-potatoes person, or has other likes and dislikes (which is likely if he’s suffering from nausea), be sure to say so.
  • Ask for food to be divided into single portions and wrapped in plastic wrap or put in disposable dishes for easy freezing and storing.
  • Schedule friends and family members to help prepare meals and wash dishes.

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