Cancer Care Parcel Provides Practical Solutions For Loved Ones In Times Of Need

For Immediate release 10th June 2020

Cancer Care Parcel Provides Practical Solutions For Loved Ones In Times Of Need

• The Cancer Care Parcel company was formed and put in place to support cancer patients and also for their friends and relatives to support with tangible, supportive and useful products.
• The parcels range has specific and helpful items of parcels for Men, Women, Teenagers and children.
• Specialist parcels with those dealing with radio or chemotherapy treatment.

Founded by Dr. Shara Cohen, Cancer Care Parcel was born out of Shara’s own personal experience of having had Breast Cancer and subsequently treated with radiotherapy. Dr. Cohen soon realized people struggled with what to buy that would be truly useful while going through chemo or other therapies and what to gift to people while they are in hospital having treatment or recovering at home.

“My initial idea was to provide practical items that people would need, they may not know they need the items, yet, but will realize that they are useful when they have them and with my science background, have all been tested and thought through carefully to provide comfort”. said Dr. Cohen

Why do people need specialist parcels?

At Cancer Care Parcel we realised there was a lack of understanding and information for people who have never had cancer and are then diagnosed with cancer. Essentially before you have had cancer, unless you know someone well who has had the disease, you don’t really know what you will need. The right information is often sparse and may take time to work through, and this is something that cancer patients, their friend and family feel they do not have.

Dr. Cohen has gone through treatment and understands some of the needs of people with cancer, however there is an advisory board, which consists of cancer patients and survivors to decide what goes in the parcels. There is also a consultation process for those receiving parcels for their feedback and suggestions.

Once diagnosed children and adults with cancer will naturally feel very worried and the aim of the parcels for Dr. Cohen was to try to take some of the worry away and bring some calm back into their lives. Cancer Care Parcel is also an ideal gift, to let people with cancer know that you are thinking of them by providing things that are useful, practical and offer comfort. For example, Peppermint tea or Ginger chews are good for relaxation and can also help relieve nausea symptoms that you may get with radio or chemotherapy.

What are in the parcels? What factors did you consider when putting them together?

We consider several things:

1. Not everyone wants to be pampered - so the box is not just full of luxury items, but also mindfulness items for distraction and comfort
2. Not everyone will have the same symptoms, so we don’t include specific items like head wear for chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is very advanced now and affects different people in different ways, not everyone will lose their hair, so for example for chemotherapy we will include:
3. We place items such as Neck Cushion, Blanket, Bed Socks, Handwarmer, Magic Gloves, Water Bottle, Anti-Nausea Wrist Bands, Peppermint Tea, Ginger Chews, Lip Balm, Colouring book, Colouring Pencils, Cool Food Bag, Earphones

As well as unexpected items which are useful and age appropriate with a bit of fun or some pampering for example in some boxes (teenagers and children) we put catchable bubbles, it’s a simple thing that can take peoples minds off what is going on and/or bring a smile and some light relief of distraction.

-ENDS-

About Cancer Care Parcel

Cancer Care Parcel provides the opportunity to buy friends, colleagues and loved ones gifts they need.  Their thoughtful, appropriate and useful cancer gifts are created in the UK by people who have had experience with cancer.

They also provide gift box donations and support to UK Cancer charities and use profit to support the cancer community.  They help drive awareness campaigns and acting on the advice of their supporters, fill gaps that are needed in the UK Cancer Community.

We never have any of the following items in a box

• Religious content
• Non-conventional cancer ‘cures’
• Supplements which are said to ‘cure’ cancer
• Shampoo or other hair products
• Food (we may include natural sweeteners or items which help with dry mouth or bad mouth taste)
• Anything with an overpowering smell
• Anything that makes claims to cure or prevent cancer
• Anything mentally or physically challenging

About Dr Shara Cohen

Dr Cohen started her working life as a research scientist and lecturer with over 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications. She followed a classical scientific career until she left mainstream science in 2000 (which coincided with the birth of her first daughter) to establish the Life Science Communications company (which she sold in 2016).

Current Projects

In 2013 Dr Cohen was diagnosed with Cancer and set up Cancer Care Parcel which provides appropriate gifts for people with cancer.

Dr Cohen is the lead scientific advisor at Optimised Healthcare. A medical profiling company which provides advanced disease prediction, prevention and wellness optimization services.

She also works with and establishes businesses and charities which benefit local, national and international communities via her company