When cancer touches your life, you will never be quite the same as before.
I lost both of my parents to cancer. And for the past couple of years, my husband, Bill, has been fighting his own battle with cancer.
One thing I've learned from this latest experience, is that compared with women, men seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to comfort/care items made especially for them. I guess women naturally tend to gravitate towards providing support and care towards each other. But since men usually are less expressive of their feelings, sometimes it's hard to know what they need to get through their rough patches.
But believe me, men need comforting just as much as women do. And it's for that reason that I've created these new cancer related mug and t-shirt designs. The mugs are covered with encouraging messages such as, "You are not alone," "Stronger than cancer," "You are loved," "You've got this," and "We're here for you." They can be given on their own as a gift, or part of a comfort/care package to take with them to the hospital. (We live in a smaller community that doesn't have a cancer treatment centre, so my husband had to spend his treatment time away from family. A comfort/care package really helps in that situation.)
The t
-shirts have either the words "Fight Cancer" or "Fuck Cancer" in a rainbow pattern to symbolize the range of colors respresenting the different types of cancer. The words are superimposed on a background of exploding colors which echoes the disruption that cancer can cause to a person's and their family's lives.
When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, we searched around for a support group to help him go through this new and devastating experience. We could find a lot of support for women, but it was more difficult finding support for men. Fortunately, a friend invited Bill to join The Sea Wolves Men's Cancer Pack here on Vancouver Island, and Man up to Cancer which is North America wide. The support that Bill has received from The Sea Wolves has been phenominal, and very much appreciated by both of us. They have regular coffee meets, provide awesome chemo packs to men who are undergoing treatment, and are a great source of support and much needed information. If you know a man who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, please click the above links. It is so much easier to go through this with support than to try to go it alone.
If you want a mug or t-shirt for the man in your life who is battling cancer, please visit my store https://detailsbyniki.etsy.com