The Cancer Registry

Message intro to our registry:
I’ve said it many times before, but cancer is like Christmas. I received so many amazing gifts, blankets and tokens the last time around that brought smiles and comfort and fun and made my face light up. I felt terrible, though, when you can only have so many super soft blankets, hats and coloring items to use for one lifetime or illness.  I cannot tell you how much we appreciate the thought, though, and we’ve discovered through trial and error that there are some tangible things that make going through this easier in massive ways.  Some of those are things, some are monetary, but above all the thoughts and prayers do all the work.  
I hope this can be a good list for anyone to turn to for another person in their life with cancer as well : ) I’ll have items on here that I will mark as having been gifted because I think they are that helpful and we’ve already got them in place and on board. Just ideas but can be a good starting point.
Our priorities and needs will be changing, but rest assured I am better able to reach out and ask for help and things this time compared to last time.
We love you all so, so much.  
Your emotional support of us means everything and makes going through this possible–rest assured, Trevor is able to make me laugh and smile everyday.

 

After we knew of the relapse and before we knew I would need to go through re-induction chemotherapy in the hospital and a second bone marrow transplant, I had told a few friends and family members that I wanted to subvert a wedding registry website to use as a cancer registry site.

We essentially eloped when we got married just outside the hospital three years ago, so no registry there; although, we got many a sweet and well-intentioned gift in the months afterwards.  And for those paying attention at home to the effects of chemotherapy and total body irradiation therapy on fertility, a baby registry will not be coming in handy.  But, the idea of a registry and use of a registry website is ubiquitous now.  With almost every wedding, bridal shower and baby shower there is a list of gifts that the celebrant has selected to be the most useful, aesthetic, or adorable items that are needed to set forward on their new journey of sorts.  So, why not a registry for someone going through treatment for cancer? And not just the person themselves, but also their ‘partner’ in care, the all-important caregiver, whoever that may be.

Turns out I was not the first to come up with this idea, and in searching/researching there is a website specifically for this purpose.  I found that a mainstream site with more adaptability with gifts involving time, service and homemade items/food was easier for me to use, and it could be designated as a ‘wish list’ without it being specifically for marriage or infants on the way.

Link: 
Other sites that may suit someone else even better:

I only looked into these briefly, but a couple good places to start.

As millenials, this is one of those life events that we shouldn’t be going through, but that doesn’t mean we can’t utilize the same resources as our peers do  for their own milestone markers.  Everyone wants to do something to help and show they are thinking of you, and I learned the first time that one of best things you can do for them is to show how and when.