10 Thoughtful Gifts for Cancer Patients

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A hospital visit to a loved one with breast cancer can be difficult. When family or friends are suffering, we want to be near them and provide them comfort and cheer - but it isn’t always easy to know exactly what to do in those situations. Sometimes, a simple, heartfelt gift can speak the words that you are struggling to find.

Here are my top ten ideas for hospital breast cancer gifts:

1. Phone chargers with extra long cords are useful hospital gifts. My friend was so grateful when I brought her a phone charger, an iTunes gift card, and some earbuds inside a #5 OTG|247 bag.

2. For a larger gift, cozy clothing and a cover-up or wrap make great hospital breast cancer gifts, especially for loved ones who will be hospitalized for longer periods of time. A brightly colored #10 organizational bag with a magazine or two and a beautiful scarf, wrap, or pajama set will be used and appreciated. Cozy clothes are practical, warm, and comforting for those undergoing treatment.

3. Beauty and hygiene products can make great gifts. I prefer to stick with organic and all-natural products to reduce the risk that I am buying something to which someone is allergic.

4. Adult coloring books are a terrific idea. Your loved one can create gorgeous works of art, pass the time, and relieve stress. Make sure to pack some markers, colored pencils, or crayons as well.

5. Bring cards from -- and pictures of -- family, pets, and other loved ones.

6. My friend told me one of the best hospital gifts she ever received was a handful of young adult novels. The YA novels were easy to get into and didn’t require too much concentration.

7. Photography magazines or art books that aren’t too heavy to lift provide creative patients with inspiration and distraction - both necessary when fighting illness.

8. Bring some token of appreciation for the nurses and staff caring for your loved one. You can give them to the patient to distribute as she or he sees fit.

9. Choose breast cancer gifts from an organization that donates to research and/or provides financial help to those battling the disease.

10. Healthy snacks or homemade treats and a meal always make great hospital gifts. (If your loved one is at home, cooking is often a challenge. Treat him or her to a meal subscription plan or stock the freezer with healthy offerings that can be simply warmed up.)

It is difficult to see a loved one in pain. Hospital breast cancer gifts are a thoughtful way to say, “I’m here, and I love you.” Your presence in your loved one's life is certainly the best present.