Healing a Friend or Loved One's Grieving Heart After a Cancer Diagnosis
100 Practical Ideas for Providing Compassion, Comfort, and Care
Half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society, and on top of the pain and struggle that patients have to face, a cancer diagnosis can also profoundly affect the lives of their loved ones. Friends and family members who may not know what to do, what to say, or how to help an individual diagnosed with cancer will find guidance and comfort in this book that helps them understand the normal and natural grief their loved one is experiencing. The basic process of grief and mourning is explained, and suggestions are provided for things readers can do to help their friend or family member not only survive, but thrive. Regardless of the type or stage of cancer, the treatment plan, or the prognosis, this compassionate guide will help readers be good companions throughout the journey that is cancer.
Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD, is a speaker, a grief counselor, and the director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition. He is the author of Healing a Parent's Grieving Heart, Understanding Your Grief, and many other bestselling books on healing in grief. Kirby J. Duvall, MD, is a physician board-certified in family practice and occupational medicine. Together with Dr. Wolfelt, he is coauthor of Healing After Job Loss, Healing Your Grieving Body, and Healing Your Grieving Heart When Someone You Care About Has Alzheimer's. They both live in Fort Collins, Colorado.