You never expect that someone you know and love can fall sick in an instant. However, with over 9 million Australians admitted to public and private hospitals each year, 3.9 million living with a chronic disease and over 7 million Australians with a disability, the chances of knowing someone who falls ill is likely.

Supporting a friend, family member or someone in your network can be difficult during this time. You might want to help but don’t know the best way how. It is an emotional and stressful situation for the whole family, one in which can leave you feeling helpless or uncomfortable to ask for help.

There are many ways to show emotional support to individuals who fall ill. The first is to provide quality time. Giving your time can be very rewarding for both individuals. In fact, many studies and research show that providing a stronger network of support can assist in the recovery of an individual while receiving treatment.

You can also try fundraising on the family’s behalf. This can help assist can any costs that come their way. For example, medical bills, treatment costs, travel costs and even household bills that can add up while a family member is not working.

Creating a fundraiser online can be a very effective way for individuals to show how much they care. It can go viral but also allows the your fundraiser to spread more quickly and easily than offline fundraising options. It is important to ask for consent before starting a fundraising on someone’s behalf. This is an important step as it allows the family to be involved in the process as well, without feeling uncomfortable.