7 things you don't say around a cancer patient

1 Save the horror stories. Now is not the time to remind your relative of uncle Ben's battle with cancer which later resulted in death. You would think that common sense would dictate that a cancer patient does not need to be given all the excruciating, miserable and awful details of Ms Pauline's battle with breast cancer. Yes we know, you just want to be supportive and cheer the person up, but you need to find a better way to do so. Don't help them remember how many persons die from it every year either.

2 Don't promise your help if you won't give it. The line "If there is anything I can do, don't be afraid to tell me", comes readily to some persons as soon as they hear that a friend or family member has been diagnosed with cancer. The reality is that some persons don't mean it and so when the request is made for help, this becomes so obvious. Don't promise your assistance if you don't intend to stand by your word.

3 Don't say you know what it's like. If you were never in a position where you had cancer, then you have absolutely no idea what it is like. It is best to say you can imagine what it is like instead; that's much safer.

4 Don't tell them they should be grateful. One of the worst things you can say to a cancer patient is, "You should be grateful, at least you are not dead". When someone is going through the kind of pain and suffering that accompanies breast cancer, don't tell them that they should be thanking God for it.

5 Don't say they shouldn't be sad. Although you may be getting tired of seeing them moping, don't tell them they shouldn't be sad. They have a right to feel however they want to, since they are the ones going through it. It is better to tell them you don't like seeing them that way instead.

6 Don't say this is just a bump in the road. You can always avoid a bump in the road, but you can hardly ever avoid cancer. Losing one's hair, breast, getting chemotherapy, having hot flashes and feeling very anxious and insecure at times, is not necessarily a bump, it is more like a mountain.

7 Don't say they'll be just fine. You are not in a position to guarantee this. Telling them not to worry about their situation might seem that you are giving them the brush off. It could be interpreted to mean that you cannot be bothered with their fears.