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Coco's Caravan

The best Chemo Care Package to take to a friend

in My Story on 07/05/19

If you need some ideas for a chemo care package, I’ve got your back. Justin and I became pro’s at hospital visits. There were a couple times we had to pack up last minute and head to the hospital for emergencies. We got good at knowing what to bring for his hospital stays. Nothing can take away the discomfort of chemo, but if I could bring something to help a little, I was going to do it.

I’ve had so many people come to me asking what they could give to a friend who was starting chemo. I’ve made a list of things that worked for Justin when he had his hospital stays. I hope this chemo care package list can help whomever you bring it to.

Table of Contents

  • Chemo Care Package List
  • Snacks
        • Snack Ideas:
  • Food (not from the hospital)
  • Drinks
    • Protein shakes
    • Flavored drink
  • Toiletries
    • Here are some scent free items:
  • Essential Oils
  • Mints/Candy
  • Other items
  • Activities:

Chemo Care Package List

Snacks

The first item on the chemo care package list is snacks. There were foods that Justin could never eat again after chemo.  Make sure whatever food you bring is plain and simple. When Justin was getting chemo he was always hooked up to iv fluids. There is sodium in the fluid so try to avoid foods with too much salt. Here are some ideas for snacks.

Snack Ideas:
  • Wheat Thins
  • Ritz Crackers
  • Fresh Berries
  • Applesauce Pouches
  • Cheese Sticks

Food (not from the hospital)

The second item on the chemo care package is outside food. Justin learned fast that eating hospital food was a very bad idea. Anything that came from the hospital added to his nausea. It helped when we brought food from places outside of the hospital. I would give him a lot of options and he would pick what sounded good at the time. Sometimes he said he wasn’t hungry and someone would show up with food and he would eat it. Just showing up with food could be a great gift to a chemo patient.

List of cancer and chemotherapy care package ideas

Drinks

The third item on the chemo care package list is drinks. Justin always lost his appetite when he had hospital stays. He would check in for chemo on a Monday and wouldn’t eat until he got checked out on Friday.  Drinks became key to keeping him hydrated and getting some calories in him.

Protein shakes

Protein shakes and smoothies are great for getting in the calories. When they are too sick to eat or have no appetite this is the best option. Even if you don’t put a care package together just stopping by with a Jamba Juice would be the best gift.

1. Farlife // 2. Orgain // Just Ingredients Protein powered

Flavored drink

It’s very important to keep hydrated when your doing chemo. After awhile Justin hated the taste of water and he could not drink it. We had to add drink mixes or give him gatorade to keep hydrated.

1. Coconut Water // 2. Vitamin Water // 3. Amino Energy // 4. Liquid IV // 5.True Lime

Toiletries

Make sure you buy everything SCENT FREE. We made the mistake of having pumpkin spice hand soap during his first chemo treatment. Even when he was on a break from chemo the smell of pumpkin spice would make him throw up. If you stick with scent free items it will make things easier when they are off chemo and back at home. It’s always better to avoid ANYTHING the hospital provides. We always brought all his own toiletries.

Here are some scent free items:

1. Bathing Wipes // 2. Hand Wipes // 3. Dove Scent Free Body Wash // 4. Lotion // 5. Hand Soap // 6. Lip Balm

Essential Oils

The fourth item on the chemo care package list is essential oils. They were very helpful, especially when he was nauseous. When he was starting to feel like he was going to throw up I would quickly put lavender or peppermint under his nose. We used deep blue lotion to help with muscle pain or any discomfort. Having a diffuser in the room was a great way to get hospital smell out.

1. Oil Diffuser // 2. Eucalyptus // 3. Lavender

Some of our favorite oils to use:

  1. Peppermint
  2. Lavender
  3. Deep Blue
  4. Frankincense
  5. Lemon
Link to deep blue

Mints/Candy

The fifth item on the chemo care package is mints and candy. I would get mad at him for brushing his teeth because it would almost always trigger him to throw up. I would always tell him “is it worth throwing up to have clean teeth before bed.” That’s why mouthwash and mints helped a ton. Here are things you can get that will help with this problem.

1. Orbit Gum // 2. Mints // 3. peppermint Candy // 4. Mouth Wash

Other items

List of cancer and chemotherapy care package ideas

Here are some other items you can add to your chemo care package.

  • Warm Blankets (our favorites were the Costco ones)
  • Slippers
  • Warm Socks
  • Water bottle
  • Beanies
  • Loose sweat pants
  • Loose comfy button up shirts (easy port access)
  • A movie (most hospital rooms have DVD players)
  • Water bottle (Justin hated the taste of the hospital water bottles)
  • Pictures to put up on the walls
1. Blanket // 2. Beanie // Socks
1. Slidders // 2. Brown slippers // 3. Smiley Face // 4. Brown Slippers // 5. Plaid Slippers
Link to water bottles
1. Barf bags // 2. Sickness relief

Activities:

You can get them activities to do during their chemo treatments. Coloring books, a video game, a new book, etc.

The best adult coloring books and supplies

I hope these chemo care package items can help whomever you bring them to. Chemo can be physically and mentally hard and having someone stop by with something can make things a little easier. It always meant the world to us when someone stopped by! It helps more than you know!

If you can think of anything else that would be helpful that I didn’t include, please comment below!

This post may contain affiliate links. See my Full Disclosure for further details.

My Story: Cancer, Twins, Loss, and Love
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9 Comments

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Comments

  1. Diana says

    July 5, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    There are some great zipper up shirts on amazon for women that I use as my chemo shirts for easy port access.

    Also, comfy face masks for those who become immune-compromised.

    Ramen noodles are pretty good too even after rough chemo for me.

    Great list though!

    Reply
    • cocoscaravan says

      July 5, 2019 at 4:11 pm

      Yes love this ideas!!! Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Darlene says

    July 5, 2019 at 4:08 pm

    Love this!
    I spent many weeks in hospital with my husband too. I would add pjs (a good friend bought us matching ones:) and a really nice mug or go cup and a box of assorted herbal or green teas – this might be even more for the spouse than the patient at times but it’s a great gift for someone to bring as holding on to a warm cup of tea in a nice mug is comforting!

    Reply
  3. Dana Stinson says

    July 6, 2019 at 12:20 am

    Inspirational cards. Handmade cards from children’s Sunday School classes or classrooms or art they draw. Inspirational books.
    I make art. Mostly painted rocks. I’ve donated hundreds to patients that I cared for as a nurse. I’m starting to paint on cards. You can follow my page. I can donate cards and rocks with inspirational quotes. I seal them and gave display stands. Let me know if I can donate here or locally? This is a cause that’s very near and dear to my heart.

    Reply
  4. https://bsphukhoa-thuyvan.webflow.io/ says

    August 9, 2019 at 3:19 am

    Hello! I’ve been reading your web site for a
    long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give
    you a shout out from Houston Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the
    fantastic work!

    Reply
  5. Lindsey says

    February 13, 2020 at 3:28 pm

    I am so sorry you and Justin had to endure this, you are a strong amazing woman and Justin is a strong wonderful man! I pray he’s not suffering anymore and Sending love to you all, your boys are adorable!!!❤️Love and prayers to you and your family!!!💕🙏🏻

    Reply
  6. Nan Spence says

    April 15, 2021 at 9:59 am

    Candy is a good choice when their mouth is dry. My husband liked the sour fruit candies. (Funny story: His parents brought him black licorice from a trip home to Scotland. He started having odd side effects, which we thought was from the chemo, but come to find out it was from the licorice!)

    Reply
    • cocoscaravan says

      April 20, 2021 at 11:05 am

      Yes such a good idea thanks for adding this!

      Reply
  7. Mickie M. Ortiz says

    April 15, 2021 at 9:47 pm

    My sister drank ginger ale because it kept her hydrated and thinner helped calm her stomach… she also liked wintergreen lifesavers because they helped with the nausea.

    Reply

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Hi I’m Jenn, but my friends call me Coco. I recently lost the love of my life to cancer. I’m now a single mom of IVF miracle twin boys. I hope to help others as I share my journey as a new widow and mother of twins.

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Tomorrow is #worldcancerday so I wanted to write a Tomorrow is #worldcancerday so I wanted to write a blog post sharing tips on how to support a friend with cancer. 
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So funny how Utah is known now for the weird Soda So funny how Utah is known now for the weird Soda drinks. I love them so I’m here for it! 🙌 I blame @kerimae2 for teaching me this gas station trick! Coconut syrup and true lime packets!  #soda #coke #utahsoda #utah #sodadrinks #stanleycup
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