Thoughtful Gifts for Someone Going Through Chemotherapy
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I became incredibly aware of things I'd barely thought about before. What I was eating, what I was drinking, what I was putting on my skin. Even something as ordinary as washing my hands became something I questioned.
I found myself reading ingredients on everything. I worried about chemicals, fragrances, preservatives and anything that might interfere with my hormones. Things I'd used without a second thought suddenly didn't feel quite so straightforward.
I stopped drinking alcohol completely. I started buying organic food wherever I could afford to, eating whole foods and avoiding ultra-processed foods as much as possible. I cut back on sugar and stopped using seed oils, although, looking back, I didn't necessarily understand all the evidence behind every decision I was making.
I just wanted to do everything I reasonably could.
When so much was outside my control, making those choices felt like something I could actually do.
And it wasn't just about food. My whole perspective on everyday products had changed.
The little things I found myself needing
Chemotherapy affected me in ways I hadn't anticipated.
My taste changed terribly. At times, nothing tasted right, and nothing seemed to help. I found myself craving mints, but so many contained sugar, something I was trying hard to avoid.
I wanted green tea, ginger, fresh juices and simple, natural things. Not necessarily the things I would have chosen before my diagnosis.
I worried about losing my hair. I knew I couldn't necessarily prevent it, but I still wanted to do whatever I could to look after it. I chose a silk pillowcase because I'd read that it could help reduce friction and breakage while sleeping. I can't say whether it made a difference, but I lost a lot of hair and kept some, and it was one of those things I was glad I'd tried.
At night, I found comfort in the soothing scent of lavender. Yet other smells could feel completely overwhelming. It's strange how something you once loved can suddenly become something you can't bear.
Those changes made me realise how personal comfort really is.
Why choosing a gift isn't always easy
I started looking online at hampers and collections that might be suitable for someone going through treatment.
I struggled to find what I was looking for.
There were beautiful hampers, but so many were filled with strongly fragranced candles, sugary treats and products with ingredients I was trying to avoid.
It wasn't that these were bad gifts. They just weren't necessarily the things I wanted or felt comfortable using at that time.
In fact, one of the most precious gifts I received during treatment was a candle, with the words “Brighter days ahead.” I only lit it a handful of times because I wanted it to last. I still have it today.
It wasn't the candle itself that made it special. It was what those words meant to me at a time when I needed hope.
That little gift became part of the inspiration behind DEW, and I've shared more about it in Our Story.
But when I was looking for more practical comforts, I wanted products that felt useful, gentle and carefully chosen.
I also knew how difficult it could be for someone else to understand that.
If you've never experienced chemotherapy, how would you necessarily know that someone's favourite chocolate might suddenly taste awful? Or that a beautifully scented product might make them feel sick? Or that they might have become unusually conscious of the ingredients in their skincare?
I certainly wouldn't have known before my diagnosis.
What I would consider when choosing a gift
Everyone's experience of treatment is different, so there's no single gift that will suit everybody. But there are a few things I'd think about.
Be mindful of fragrance.
Smells can become incredibly intense during chemotherapy. Something lightly scented might be comforting to one person and unpleasant to another. If you're unsure, it's worth asking.
Look at the ingredients.
Some people become particularly conscious of what they're eating or using on their skin. Natural or organic products may be something they appreciate, although these labels don't automatically mean a product is safer or suitable for everyone. Individual preferences and sensitivities matter.
Think about practical comforts.
A soft pillowcase, a gentle lip balm or something soothing for bedtime might be genuinely useful. Sometimes it's the ordinary things that make a difficult day a little easier.
Don't assume sweet treats will be welcome.
Taste changes can be awful. Foods someone previously loved might suddenly taste completely different, and they may be avoiding certain ingredients or struggling to eat. Even something as simple as tea or mints can be a very personal choice.
Think about the person, not just the diagnosis.
They are still the same person, even if their needs and preferences have changed. A gift doesn't have to be about cancer to be thoughtful.
And if you're unsure, it's absolutely fine to ask.
The gift I still remember
During my treatment, someone gave me some organic lip balms.
Someone had thought about the sort of products I might want to use. They'd considered the ingredients. They hadn't just bought something because it looked lovely.
That meant a great deal to me.
It wasn't really about the lip balms themselves. It was knowing that someone had taken the time to think about what might be right for me.
Why I created DEW Comfort
That experience stayed with me, as did the frustration of searching for gifts that reflected the changes I'd made in my own life.
It's one of the reasons I created DEW Comfort.
I wanted to bring together products I would have appreciated during treatment: a silk pillowcase, organic body care, lip balm, tea, a soothing lavender pillow and other carefully chosen comforts.
Not everything in the collection is organic, and I wouldn't claim that natural products are automatically safer or suitable for everyone. But I've tried to be considered about the products and ingredients I've chosen.
I know how much I appreciated it when someone put that thought into a gift for me.
And I hope DEW Comfort can offer that same feeling to someone else.