Thankfully, there are organizations such as the Cancer Support Community and the CancerCare that offer educational content and ways to provide general support, as well as online resources such as Meal Train in partnership with Magnolia that are dedicated to organizing nutritional, physical and emotional support for people with cancer. To participate in Meal Train, a friend or family member creates an online calendar for a person affected by cancer. They can add information on nutritional needs, taste preferences, allergies, frequency of meals and how many people to prepare food for. The calendar can then be shared with friends and loved ones to simplify the process for scheduling and organizing the delivery of meals. This is an incredibly important aspect of helping because not only is meal preparation difficult to find time for while juggling cancer, but getting proper nutrition is extremely important during treatment and recovery as well. Meal Train users also can purchase a meal through the site, donate money to the recipient, or buy a meal delivery gift card for restaurants or food delivery services. Other options include signing up for everyday tasks and errands, along with circulating online newsletters, updates, photos and social media happenings, which can provide some inspiration for everyone involved. Cancer is not just complicated and scary. It also has logistical challenges, and everyone handles the many challenges involved in their own way. For many people, treatments and medications can leave them feeling weak, tired and unable to do much of anything at all. Emotionally, a cancer diagnosis can set off a roller coaster of feelings from sad to angry to hopeful. And although cancer can be emotionally and physically draining for the person going through the disease, an organized team of family, friends and caregivers can help ease the burden and stress. In my case, I was extremely lucky to have a strong support team who jumped into action and helped with the little things, like a hot meal and walking the dogs. A little kindness makes a big difference when you’re fighting cancer. Resources Cancer Support Community CancerCare This resource was created with support from Eisai. Meal Train is a registered trademark of Meal Train LLC. Meal Train in partnership with Magnolia is supported by Eisai.