You said something you thought would make your friend feel better, but the look on her face says…. No. You want to crawl into a hole. Or blow it off and just spend your time with people whose lives are easier. Don’t. It’s normal to make mistakes. Everyone does, especially when dealing with something as difficult as cancer. Bottom line: Apologize. Ask for forgiveness. Keep showing up, and ask how you can do better. Your friendship is worth it.

The My Friend Has Cancer?! video series by Hernan Barangan offers strategies for friendship during cancer, with specific examples from survivors’ and friends’ real stories.

About Hernan Barangan

“I was 15 when I went through treatment for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. Somehow I beat it – but I felt so much was wrong about my experience. Things that could have helped other young people survive were missing.

With hopes that I could improve the cancer experience for others, I started making short films about it. I wanted to show other patients that they are not alone — and to show the world that there are young people fighting cancer all around them. But I knew that in order to do this, I would have to hit the road. So I packed up my gear and set out on a trip that would take the next year of my life to complete.

I went to all 50 states, drove 25k miles of road, and collected 28TB of footage. But more important than that – I met 90 great people who I now call my friends. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as I enjoyed this journey.”

Want more?

• Watch the full My Friend Has Cancer?! video series
• Watch Hernan’s film Cancer Rebellion
• Tune in to The Support Report with b-present
• Learn more about the b-present Foundation