What do you give a cancer patient for Christmas that can improve self-esteem and provide a little confidence? For those patients with significant hair loss due to chemotherapy, a hat can be a fun gift.
Got a lover of sports teams? Why not get him or her a team logo cap? The wonderful thing about sports caps is they can be collected by non-cancer patients, too. That makes it even more appealing, doesn't it? How many sports fans have a cap collection? It's the kind of thing that can almost be addictive. In this day and age of Internet shopping, you can get apparel for just about any team that exists, whether it's a local team or even a foreign one. If you throw in a banner or a mug, the cap suddenly isn't just about cancer and covering up a bald head. It becomes a matter of supporting a beloved team. Kids who love NASCAR might also enjoy a logo jacket and a model car for their favorite driver, or a tee shirt that tells the world he or she is a NASCAR nut.
But what do you do for cancer patients who don't wear baseball caps? My mother used to visit the gift shop in her cancer treatment center on a regular basis. She loved the "chemo cap" offerings in the store. There were wild, vibrant choices and dignified, classy choices. Sometimes there were even glittery choices, appropriate for wearing out in the evening. From turbans to scarves to caps, there were many attractive choices.
That's something families need to understand about cancer patients. It's tough to stand out in a crowd for the wrong reason. People want to be admired. When you walk into a room, you want people to think you look great. You don't want them to think about the fact that you look too bald, too thin, too pale, or too weak to stand. Cancer patients have a tough time going out during the holiday season and being admired for looking good. That can negatively affect one's self-esteem.
Hats and caps for cancer patients shouldn't just be about covering up what's missing. They should reflect the personality and style of each. If Aunt Mary is a wild woman, her chemo cap should shout this to the world. "Here she comes and she's on fire, baby!" If Uncle Joe is a quiet, intellectual man who is dignified and distinguished, he's not going to feel like himself in a baseball cap. Maybe he's the type for a nice black beret. What if Eveleyn has a gorgeous dress for the family Christmas party, but nothing to wear on her head? A pretty velvet turban or elegant scarf might just complete the look.
You may think it's not a big deal for cancer patients to just slap on a wig and be done with it, but the truth is there are many cancer patients who really don't enjoy wearing them.
My mother had a wig. She wore it less than a week before abandoning it for a chemo cap. But after a week of wearing the same two caps day in and day out, she was very frustrated. That's when I learned how to make her matching chemo caps and pants. She adored her coordinated outfits. Not only was she making a fashion statement by wearing vibrant prints, she was declaring that her personality had not been subdued by cancer. She was still in there in that body, and she was stronger than cancer.
The trouble with wearing the same chemo cap day in and day out is that you start to feel like it's a cover-up, a hair bandage, if you will. Your wardrobe revolves around the limited number of caps you have. Having a week's worth of chemo caps means you have choices of what you can wear. It lets you express yourself a little more.
But why not help a cancer patient have some fun? Why not buy a colorful hat or cap and embellish it? Why not add appliques, charms, buttons, and other fun things to decorate it? You can buy hats in department stores and sometimes even craft stores. There are stick-on appliques, iron-on appliques, and even sew-on appliques at craft stores. They usually just cost a couple of dollars. You can also find any number of charms, jewels, and other interesting add-ons. If Uncle Sid is a poker player, why not add some dice to a bucket hat? Or find a patch with a jack of hearts on it? It becomes his "lucky cap". If little Mary Catherine is a fan of dogs and cats, why not decorate a cap for her with charms that reflect this interest? If Aunt Bella is a fan of bling, why not find her a chemo cap that glitters?
You can go online for these. Some are made specifically for cancer patients, so they won't irritate delicate skin.There are websites that offer hats and caps for cancer patients. Headcovers.com is one:
http://www.headcovers.com/
There is a big selection to choose from, and that means that you can find something that really fits your loved one's personality. Whether it's a turban for your grandmother or a swim cap for little Jess, you can find a gift that will help your loved one feel more like everyone else, and that means he or she will feel better able to socialize with the rest of the world. Isolation is a terrible side effect for cancer patients. It's lonely to hide away at home, feeling unattractive. Don't let cancer control how your loved one celebrates the holiday season. Give your loved one the confidence to get out and get living.
For more tips on helping a loved one with cancer, view my guide:
https://sites.google.com/site/practicalcaregivercancer/home
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