The following blessing comes from a new selection of prayers for women with cancer. They were written by Diann L. Neu, co-founder and co-director of the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual, and author of several collections of feminist liturgy.

Blessing For When the Chemotherapy Drug Flows

Blessed are You, Compassionate One,
For giving me these droplets of _____ (name of chemotherapy drug),
Like refreshing dew and healing rain,
may they save my life.

I don’t know, maybe that sounds like something someone who has never had cancer might write. But prayers like these are templates helpful in getting the mind to formulate its own prayers for healing. You can shape your own renditions. So pass this along to someone you feel it might help.

Here’s a prayer Neu recommends for the beginning and ending of each day of cancer treatment. It’s quite similar to Buddhist mindfulness prayers and would be helpful to anyone at any time. Just repeat these words morning and evening:

May all be loved.
May all be healed.
May all be sheltered.
May all be free from fear.

My I be loved.
May I be healed.
May I be sheltered.
May I be free from fear.