A diagnosis of cancer for a family member often means two things — the patient will need to find a suitable cancer clinic to provide whatever care is necessary, and the other family members will need to rally by pitching in. Cancer can turn a family collectively on its head, resulting in plenty of worries and emotional turmoil. While you can count on the patient getting the best care possible at the cancer clinic, you should meet with your family to decide how each person can contribute now that one family member is ill. Here are some duties that you might wish to discuss.

Managing Of Appointments

The ill family member may need to visit the clinic multiple times per week for cancer treatment, so it's ideal if one other family member can take charge of managing these appointments. This process can involve buying a dedicated calendar and writing down the time of each appointment as well as any relevant notes about it. There should also be a plan about who will take the patient to the clinic if he or she is not able to drive. Consider involving other family members, friends, and neighbors to ease this burden on your immediate family, if desired.

Assuming The Patient's Responsibilities

Think about what things the patient did around the house. Perhaps he or she is no longer physically able to perform these duties, or maybe you want the patient to rest rather than stress himself or herself. Divide up these duties among the other family members. If the patient did the bulk of the cooking, for example, other family members will need to chip in — and you may also wish to ask for help with preparing meals from neighbors, or even sign up for a meal delivery service for one or two days a week.

Planning Of Special Moments

A cancer diagnosis in your family can remind everyone of the frail nature of life, and even if your family member is getting the best care possible, his or her mortality might be on everyone's mind. Instead of sitting around and being sad, try to plan some special moments. Obviously, you'll need to take the patient's health into consideration, but this is an optimal time to create some memories that you'll especially cherish if the person passes away due to this disease. Depending on how the patient feels, a night out at his or her favorite restaurant, a movie night on a tablet at the clinic, and even just frequent visiting and conversing can all be ideal.