Getting through chemo with help from those who have been there

Doctors will tell patients with cancer what to expect when undergoing chemotherapy but how to handle those side effects is best explained by the people who’ve experienced them.

The nonprofit Chemo Crew not only provides support groups to share that knowledge and offer support but also gives away kits with tools to help get through treatment.

(Click here to donate to Book of Dreams)

“It is not coming from a doctor, it is coming from someone who has been through this,” said Quantelle “Q” Daniels, who underwent a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy for breast cancer in 2014.

She said the mints in her kit were the most helpful, reducing the “metal mouth” effect that’s caused by the chemo.

Other items in the kit include a tumbler to fill with ice water for dry mouth, a hot and cold rice pack for sore muscles, a list of local resources and tips from the American Cancer Society as well as a planner to track medication, food intake and symptoms.

Diet and symptoms were things Bridgette Eilers’ doctor would ask her about during her appointments but, “I had chemo brain.”

Drawing from her experience and feeling blessed she had the support of family and friends during her battle with ovarian cancer, Eilers started the Chemo Crew in 2011 not long after finishing her own treatment.

The organization gives away about 400 kits a year, distributing them at area oncology departments.

In addition to the kits, volunteers help patients with the daily activities that suddenly become huge burdens on people with cancer like housekeeping, yard work and grocery shopping.

They also provide rides to treatments and a monthly support group for patients and their families.

The support group was what most helped Daniels.

Her attitude initially when her parents told her about the groups was, “I am not going to listen to people’s sob stories, I don’t want to listen to negative things.”

But she went and “It was nothing like I thought it was going to be,” Daniels said. “It was a lot of questions being answered, meeting people who were going through treatment, people that have gone through treatment. People did have sad stories but they were more educational and gave me awareness of other people’s journeys.”

Now cancer-free, Daniels still attends the meetings to share her experiences with others.

This story was originally published November 19, 2016 at 11:23 PM with the headline "Getting through chemo with help from those who have been there."