Each item we include isn’t random or decorative—it’s intentional, tested, and deeply personal. These aren’t luxuries. They’re tools of survival. They’re tiny acts of kindness packed into a box for someone facing the unimaginable.
In this post, we’re sharing some of the suggested items we often include in our chemo care kits. While every kit is personalized and may vary, these essentials help bring relief, comfort, and support during treatment. From easing nausea to protecting fragile skin, each item plays a part in helping cancer warriors feel seen, supported, and just a little more human during an incredibly difficult journey.
What Is a Chemo Care Kit?
At Beyond Basic Needs, a chemo care kit is more than just a box of helpful items—it’s a lifeline of comfort, care, and connection for someone navigating the toughest days of cancer treatment.
Chemotherapy can leave a patient physically drained, emotionally overwhelmed, and isolated by side effects that few truly understand. Our chemo care kits are designed to meet these moments with compassion. Each kit contains thoughtful, practical items that bring relief, dignity, and a sense of being seen—because no one should go through cancer alone.
We work directly with cancer warriors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to curate kits that ease common side effects like nausea, skin sensitivity, fatigue, and emotional stress. From ginger chews and journals to port pillows and lip balm, these items serve a purpose: to restore a bit of normalcy, a spark of hope, and a reminder that someone cares.
Each kit is unique. Items may vary based on availability and need, but the intention remains the same: to uplift and support someone in the fight of their life.
What’s Included in a Chemo Care Kit?
Port Pillow
A chemo port is a device implanted in the upper chest to make treatment delivery easier. It sits just under the skin and is extremely sensitive to pressure, especially from seatbelts. The handmade port pillow attaches to a seatbelt to cushion the port site, reduce pain, and prevent bruising during everyday travel—critical for getting to treatment safely and with less discomfort.
Ginger Chews
Chemotherapy often causes persistent nausea that makes eating, drinking, and daily function difficult. Ginger chews provide quick, portable nausea relief without requiring water or prep. They help patients manage one of the most constant and draining side effects of treatment.
Back Scratchers
Chemo drugs and steroids can cause intense, widespread itching. A back scratcher allows patients to reach areas they physically can’t, especially when mobility is limited. It provides fast, independent relief without needing assistance.
Nail Files
Nails become brittle and split easily during chemo. A nail file helps prevent painful snags and skin tears that can lead to infection. It’s basic hygiene made necessary by how fragile the body becomes.
Travel Tissues
Cancer takes a toll on every part of the body—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Tissues are for the runny noses, the tears, the unexpected side effects, and everything in between. They’re not just for colds—they’re for coping.
Eye Masks
Chemo disrupts sleep with pain, hospital lighting, and medication side effects. An eye mask helps block out light so patients can rest during treatment or at home. It supports one of the few things the body needs most: sleep.
Hand Cream
Skin dries out fast during chemo, often cracking and peeling painfully. A thick, fragrance-free hand cream protects raw skin and prevents open sores. It’s not luxury—it’s necessary.
Stomach Ease Tea
Chemo causes frequent stomach pain, bloating, and nausea. Herbal tea can ease cramping and promote hydration when even water feels like too much. It’s a simple, warm way to calm the digestive system without adding more medication.
Lip Balm
Dry, cracked lips are nearly unavoidable during treatment. Lip balm prevents bleeding, restores moisture, and protects fragile skin from further damage. It’s one of the most-used tools in the kit.
Nail Clippers
Nails grow strangely and unpredictably on chemo—often thick in some areas and weak in others. Clippers help prevent painful splits and hangnails that can lead to infection. They keep basic hygiene manageable when the immune system is already compromised.
Journals
Cancer doesn’t just attack the body—it overloads the mind. A journal helps patients track appointments, symptoms, medications, or anything they don’t want to forget. It’s not about writing feelings—it’s about staying organized when everything is chaos.
Comfy Socks
Chemotherapy can leave patients feeling cold, especially during long hours in treatment centers where the temperature is often low. Soft, cozy socks help keep feet warm and offer a small sense of comfort when everything else feels uncertain. They’re a gentle reminder that care can be simple—and warmth matters.
Tattoo Eyebrows from My Two Brows
Hair loss is one of the most visible and emotionally difficult side effects of chemotherapy. My Two Brows offers high-quality, realistic tattoo eyebrows that restore a sense of normalcy and self-confidence. They’re easy to apply, waterproof, and incredibly empowering—because looking in the mirror and recognizing yourself shouldn’t be one more thing cancer takes away.
Electrolyte Packets by LMNT
Chemotherapy can quickly cause dehydration, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a general lack of appetite or thirst. LMNT electrolyte packets provide a balanced blend of salt, magnesium, and potassium to help replenish what the body loses during treatment. With no sugar and no junk, they support hydration, energy, and recovery, making it easier to stay strong when drinking water alone just isn’t enough.
