12 Mastectomy Gift Ideas That Show You Care
Looking for mastectomy gift ideas for someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer? We are here to help you support them with a thoughtful care package that will show your family member, best friend, co-worker, or neighbor that you care and are there for them no matter what!
This guide is here to help you find what these breast cancer patients REALLY need to combat their diagnosis and heal comfortably and beautifully. These gift ideas are for post-surgery healing, post-mastectomy recovery, and preventative double-mastectomies and can be practical and helpful. Save that patient you love from spending extra money when they instead can get the gift they need from someone who cares about them.
1. Post-Surgery Robe
A post-surgery robe is essential for managing those nasty drains post-mastectomy surgery. Something patients are not prepared for is just how cumbersome the drains can be following a mastectomy. These are bulbs that fill with fluid from the body as it heals. Mastectomy drains are often in the body for 2-3 weeks following a mastectomy, and patients can have 2-6 drains depending on their surgery and body type. Give the person you love this incredibly thoughtful post-surgery recovery gift so they never even need to know how difficult that healing can be.
Shop the Miena Robe with Drain Management Belt
2. Loungewear
Comfy loungewear is a must! Look for loose fitting, front closure pajamas and loungewear, like our Abby Recovery Pant. Hidden inside the band are additional pockets for those annoying drains mentioned above. These types of pants are also super comfortable for all mastectomy recovery, DIEP flap surgery recovery, and reconstruction.
3. A chest-buddy
Get yourself a chest buddy for seat belt protection. After leaving a mastectomy, doctor follow-ups are plentiful, so the patient will have many trips in and out of the car and the seat belt can be quite irritating. We love ParkPuff by Rachel Park of Survivormoda. Designed and created by a breast cancer patient herself, each ParkPuff comes in different materials and are super fluffy and comfy!
4. A Mastectomy pillow
There are never enough mastectomy pillows! Propping yourself up is as much an art as a science. Laying flat can be uncomfortable and sitting up at an angle can be optimal for recovery. We love Billow, proudly designed by a mastectomy patient to improve recovery for other post-mastectomy recovery.
5. Post-mastectomy recovery bra
A post-mastectomy bra is a great surprise gift for a mastectomy patient. It may feel overwhelming to pick one out, and sizing may be confusing. That’s why a gift card for your favorite post-surgery shop is also effective, so the recovering patient can have something to look forward to! Post-mastectomy bras are covered by the patient’s health insurance, so while they may get what they need covered by insurance, an alternative is helpful post-healing and learning to love their new bodies.
Shop Post Mastectomy Recovery Bra
6. Breasties Apparel
The Breasties is the first all-inclusive nonprofit organization that creates community for survivors, previvors, thrivers, and carevivors, impacted by breast and gynecologic cancers. The Breasties are the "worst club, best members." The Breasties organization is here as a support system to anyone who is going through breast surgery and needs a friend or support system.
7. Magazines and entertainment
Reading materials for when Netflix gets boring is a great gift option. For example an annual subscription to WildFire Magazine, created by a breast surgery patient living boldly and proudly with aesthetic flat closures. April gives an outlet to patients and survivors where they share their stories in the quarterly issue. A loved one that doesn’t feel like reading? Have them tune into The Burn Podcast to get inspired and listen to AnaOno founder’s story, “10 Years Learning to Love a New Body.” Along with so many impactful stories written and read by other breast cancer patients, previvors, and caregivers.
8. A cleaning service
Home cleaning service is an amazing surprise gift to any post-surgery or breast cancer patient. After surgery, range of motion is incredibly limited, and pushing a vacuum is highly advised against. Gift the person you love one or two cleaning sessions, or connect to a local non-profit that helps to support these services, like PinkRibbonGirls.org who help patients in their area.
9. A heartfelt note
A handwritten note on an inspirational card is the best. And don’t worry, a little humor can also go a long way. We recommend Em&Friends, the perfect cancer patient empathy cards that know what to say when you don’t. Bring a smile to their face by showing that this isn't easy for anyone, and make sure to include a handwritten note that you are thinking of them. Not sure what to say? Check out our best tips on what to say to someone with cancer.
Shop Everything Happens Empathy Card
10. A salon gift certificate
You know what beats dry shampoo? A blow out! A gift certificate to a hair salon for a wash and dry is the perfect post-mastectomy gift idea. Why? Not everyone has a caregiver at home, and when you can’t raise your arms above your head, washing hair is incredibly complicated. That is why a trip to the local salon for a bowl wash and blow dry might feel like a huge relief to your loved one. Add on a hair treatment or scalp massage and get extra bonus points!
11. A shower shirt
As we mentioned, showering can be tricky after recovering from a mastectomy and those dreaded drains get in the way. We love The Shower Shirt designed by a breast cancer patient after her recovery from dozens of breast surgeries. The Shower Shirt comes with a unique solution to keep your drains and surgery sites protected during bathing. Listen to Lisa’s entire story on another one of our favorite Survivor founded podcasts, by Latonya Davis, The Breast Talk Ever. And while you are at it, listen to the story about how and why Dana Donofree created AnaOno.
12. Gift cards
Feeling overwhelmed with these post-mastectomy gift ideas? That’s perfectly ok. Gift cards are a great gift idea too. The patient you love will be feeling better and better by the day and will love to know that you are thinking of them! An AnaOno Gift Card can get them what they need when they need it (or want it) and the pressure is no longer on you to decide.
What Do You Get Someone After A Mastectomy?
Everyone approaches surgery differently. AnaOno’s founder Dana threw herself a “Ta-Ta to Dana’s Ta-Ta’s” party with her best friends. They got together, had a beautiful night out, and hit the dance floor, her favorite thing to do!
“I just had no idea what I really needed in order to recover from my surgery,” Dana said. “I wish I had this list to pass to my friends and family that cared so much about me, recovery would have been so much easier!”
We recommend grabbing some of these goodies, sending them in a gift basket or reusable bag, especially if your breast cancer patient you love is heading into radiation or chemotherapy. The road to recovery can be a long one and they will absolutely use it!
Are we missing any of your favorite items? Leave them in the comments below to share and encourage others to help make a difference in your loved ones life.
