Caregiver Support: How to Show Up with Strength, Love, and Impact
There's one truth we can all agree on... cancer sucks.
But here's what many don't realize—not everything about the cancer journey has to suck. One of the most beautiful parts of facing cancer is discovering who truly shows up with love, and you are one of the most valuable tools in their healing journey.
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​As someone who beat Stage 4 aggressive colon cancer by building a comprehensive healing strategy, we want to share what I learned about how caregivers can make the biggest difference. Both Jennie Smith (a Stage 4 triple negative breast cancer thriver) and I discovered that with the right support system, you don't have to suffer through cancer—and you definitely don't have to face it alone.​​​​​​
The Golden Rule: Process Your Own Emotions First
Rule #1: Don't make the person with cancer help you process your feelings.
You have every right to have big emotions—fear, sadness, anger—but processing those feelings is your job, not theirs. When I was diagnosed, I ended up texting and emailing updates so people could process without me, because it was exhausting to comfort others when I needed to focus my energy on healing.
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Instead, be honest about your feelings about them (and why you love them!) AND what you can specifically do to help.
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What does someone with cancer need most? To sleep, rest, live in joy, feel loved, and plan for a future.
How to Show Up to Best Support
Make Their Life Easier (The Gift of Time & Energy)
The most practical way to help is handling the daily tasks that drain their energy:
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Household help: Walk their dog, drive children to activities, do yard work, take out trash, clean their house, do laundry
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Meal support: Prepare healthy meals (ask about dietary needs—many benefit from organic produce, olive/avocado oils only, gluten-free options)
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Medical support: Find doctor recommendations, make appointments, build medicine organizers
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Errands: Shop for groceries, pick up prescriptions, handle administrative tasks
Be Their Medical Advocate
Join them for appointments by:
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Preparing questions in advance
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Creating an agenda for the visit
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Taking detailed notes during appointments
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Following up with research on what was discussed
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Sharing information with their designated support network
Support Their Healing Strategy
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Ask what they specifically need: Mastectomy pillows, seat belt covers, icing tools, journals, or even a trampoline (great for lymphatic drainage)
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Help them build a strategy: If they haven't created a comprehensive healing plan, Use the MOJO Health strategy builder to find specific solutions for side effects or symptoms
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Consider gifting them resources like the MOJO Healing that teaches how to integrate conventional and holistic approaches
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Research and summarize: Do research for them and provide bullet points so they can get information without wading through overwhelming details
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Share the MOJO Rising podcast to keep them educated and empowered
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Connect them with other survivors who can provide coaching and inspiration
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Invite them to participate in a Heal Smarter workshop ​​
Practical Gift Ideas by Budget
​Free Ways to Help
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Send a meaningful song, poem, or daily text
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Create gratitude lists together
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Offer your time for any of the practical support mentioned above
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Share your community connections for local practitioner recommendations
Modest Budget ($25-100)
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Gift cards to health food stores or Whole Foods
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Good fiction books for escapism or comedy movies for laughter
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Lottery ticket (hope is powerful!)
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Organic produce delivery
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Journal or gratitude jar supplies
Larger Budget ($100+)
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More Joy Health gift card (help offset the cost of supplements)
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EMF-blocking blankets
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Foundational supplement protocols
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Professional services (massage, acupuncture, house cleaning)
Ways to Maximize Joy and Connection
Provide Emotional Presence
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Check in regularly with texts, calls, or video chats—especially during hospital stays
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Ask real questions: Don't approach them with fear or pity. Ask "How are you doing?" with genuine energy and openness
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Help them think beyond cancer: Bring conversations about dreams, goals, books, movies—anything that connects them to life outside their diagnosis. Talk about dream vacations, going back to school, writing a book, starting a business—help their brain believe that healing and thriving are not only possible but inevitable.
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Help Them Find Their Flow
Take them to places where they lose track of time: art museums, concerts, dancing, games, nature walks—whatever activities make them feel alive and forget about cancer for a while.
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Remind Them They're a Badass
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Celebrate their strengths and help them leverage these in their healing journey
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Give them confidence that they're worth the effort and energy required to heal
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Share specific memories of their resilience, creativity, or other amazing qualities
Focus on Gratitude & Joy
Help them focus on what they're grateful for through:
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Gratitude journals or jars
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Printing and displaying photos of favorite memories and people
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Sending videos of awesome life moments
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Decorating their space with uplifting visuals
Support the Inner Circle Too
Remember that family members and close friends are also struggling. Offer to:
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Help them process their own fears and anxiety (away from the patient)
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Take care of practical needs for the patient's immediate family, especially children and pets.
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Provide respite care so primary caregivers can rest
Remember: You're Part of Something Bigger
When you show up for someone facing cancer, you're not just helping one person—you're proving that love is stronger than fear, that community matters, and that healing happens best when we're surrounded by people who believe in our ability to thrive.
Your presence, your practical help, and your unwavering belief in their strength may be exactly what tips the scales toward not just survival, but thriving.
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The goal isn't just to help them get through cancer—it's to help them maximize joy and live their absolute best life throughout the entire journey.
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May we all live long and lucky,
​Julie Stevens
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Founder of MOJO Health
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Survivor of Stage 4 Colon cancer
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Author of MOJO Healing
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Host of MOJO Rising... How to Make Cancer Suck Less
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PS - I had a really hard time sourcing quality supplements and tools to support my journey, let alone spending my life savings on everything I needed to heal, so we built a sister company - More Joy Health - where you can build a registry to help people know what they can do to support you with the highest quality supplements and resources we could find! I hope this can also help you heal!
Please note, More Joy Health funds most of MOJO Health Information, so every dollar spent there is helping us continue to operate this amazing non-profit!
