5 Steps for Sending a Smile From Far Away To a Friend or Family Member Going Through Chemotherapy

When my friend was diagnosed with cancer and was facing radiation and chemotherapy, I wondered what I could I do when I lived 2,000 miles away. I couldn’t do any of the usual things to help. Normally, I might offer to drive her to chemotherapy and radiation sessions, take care of her kids, or bring over a meal for her family. But, thanks to the Internet, I could do something. I could send some warmth every morning, a “Daily Smile.” By following these 5 easy steps, I was able to help her throughout the many months of recovery. #1 Recycle funny jokes and YouTube videos. Sometimes, I was just amazed and dismayed by the flood of funny emails that people forwarded to me. But now, I could put them to good use. #2 Send out a request for jokes or videos.. My friends were shocked when I did this step because I usually whined about them filling my inbox. They had held onto some hilarious ones, and the ones they sent were wonderful! #3 Create a file folder to store the emails.. This step made it easier to find a “Daily Smile” in a hurry. It also made it easier to find the ones she would especially enjoy. #4 At the start of each day, send one bit of email humor.. In the subject line, I wrote, "Daily Smile for (day, date)." That way, the subject was always the same and my friend could easily find it each day. #5 Delete everything but the joke or video. I cleaned it up by taking away any email addresses or comments that were attached when I received it. As my friend faced the months of chemotherapy and radiation, she now found a “Daily Smile” in the subject line every day when she checked her email. She could open it or delete it as she wished. But, maybe it was a bit of comfort as her world blew apart. The “Daily Smile” might be the one, positive constant she could count on. After six months of “Daily Smiles,” the chemo regimen will be over. So far, she has replied with a “thanks,” with an update about her health, with some tidbits of her everyday life, or with hope for the future. She has begun each day not only with a smile, but also with the knowledge that she is not alone. Someone who is 2,000 miles away cares over the long haul. Copyright 2014 Allidah Hicks and Bonnie Knuti. All rights reserved.