A Lasting Change Letter is meant to offer a bright, peaceful moment and a little connection. Keep your message warm, encouraging, and focused on the person rather than their diagnosis.
Letter guidelines
- Stay positive. Focus on warmth, strength, kindness, and peaceful moments.
- Avoid illness talk. Skip phrases such as “Get well soon” or “Feel better.” Give the recipient a moment where they do not have to think about their diagnosis.
- No medical advice. Never suggest treatments or cures.
- No religion, politics, glitter, or scents.
- No requests for ongoing correspondence or pen-pal relationships.
- Handwritten is preferred. Typed letters are accepted too.
Most important
Death & Recovery: Do not share stories of loss, bad and/or good outcomes. This includes someone you know who has had cancer and either passed or recovered. This includes yourself who has thankfully recovered. It’s difficult for someone diagnosed to hear that others have died from cancer or other diseases. Although you have good intentions to be hopeful, it is not helpful for a person experiencing cancer to hear about how you or someone you know has recovered.
Please avoid cancer and other illness stories ALL TOGETHER. The person you are writing to would love to escape from the cancer talk 🙂
Need some inspiration?
Not sure where to begin? Take a look at a few example letters for inspiration.