How to Help Out a Friend Who's Been Diagnosed With an Illness

We’ve all had or may in the future, have a close friend who was or will be diagnosed with a serious illness. At times, not knowing how to help your friend or what to say may make you feel quite confused and helpless. We all need some help in figuring out how to be of assistance to them in such difficult situations. Here are some ways in which you can help out a friend who’s recently been diagnosed with a serious illness.

Give Them a Care Basket

This is undeniably a very considerate gesture and will really go a long way in uplifting their mood. 99% of people believe that giving flowers demonstrates immense kindness to the recipient because it just shows that you constantly think about them and that they are important to you. Some examples of items you could put in a care basket are fruits, some snacks, flowers, a notepad or fun activities or games, or even a book, depending on your friend’s preferences.

Be Supportive and a Listening Ear

Providing support to a sick friend can have a huge impact on how well they manage their sickness. This can be done in different ways like just asking them if you can come over to spend time with them and just being consistent with your offers. Sometimes they may want to share what’s going on with their health or just what’s on their mind but that may not always be the case. When they do share, asking questions may really show them that you’re present and concerned. Also, you may feel the need to offer advice, but try to keep it yourself unless they ask for it.

Help Out With Their Kid’s Errands

At times, your friend may not ask for help because they don’t want to seem like a burden, so it’s up to you to be proactive and make specific offers. Considering that U.S. citizens get about one billion colds each year, their kids may need to be driven to the doctor or to a pharmacy to obtain medicine. This may seem like something small but it’ll go a long way in lightening the load of your sick friend.

Offer to Accompany Them to Medical Appointments

This is another way to offer practical support to your friend. It’s important to understand that, sometimes, they may refuse your offer because they just want to go alone. If they do want to be accompanied, make sure to find out if they would want you in the consultation room so that they feel comfortable. Generally being with them during the appointment provides a lot of support, and you could even take notes of what the doctor says for reference in the future.

Bring Over Meals For Their Family

Your friend and their family as a whole may not have the time and energy to prepare meals, as they may be preoccupied with the main challenge in the family. So, bringing ready-made food is another way you could be of assistance to them. You could just ask them their preferences and check for any allergies as a precaution. Make sure the meals you prepare are fresh and healthy. Produce items such as tomatoes are quite accessible and affordable, as it is a well-known vegetable in most American home gardens.

Although having a friend with a health challenge may be quite saddening, there are evidently so many ways you can help them through it and make this difficult period a lot easier for them. At the end of the day, that’s what friends are for.