Childhood Cancer affects not just the child, but also the whole family.

For the child, it means several years of coping with treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation and maybe surgery, with their often unpleasant side effects.

For the parents, it can mean major changes to their lifestyles, and many additional stresses on them. Apart from the emotional upheaval caused by the diagnosis, there are many practical and financial issues that they will need to deal with over a period of probably several years.

For the siblings of the sick child, it can seem as if they are forgotten, and all of the family’s attention is focused on the ill child. For grandparents, other relatives, and friends, they wonder what they can do to help their loved ones through this period.

One of the primary aims of CHOC is to help to support the whole family through what will be one of the most difficult and traumatic periods of their lives. Some of the ways in which we have set out to help are outlined below.

Support groups: Organising of discussion / lecture meetings for parents. Helping parents to meet other parents (and survivors).

Information provision: Parents and children are faced with a whole new world, with specialised medical terminology, large hospitals, and many new things to learn that affect their child.

We aim to provide Information Packs and books for parents, with a combination of: local information about the hospital and the surrounding area; medical information, about the illness, and the drugs used; and psychosocial and practical information, on how to cope with the many new stresses and challenges faced. We also aim to have, in each centre, a comprehensive library of books, etc for the parents, and to produce informative newsletters.

Practical support: For new patients and families, a friendly face who understands what they are going through can help to make them feel less alone in the new hospital environment. For some of the children, wigs and wheelchairs can make their lives much easier.

Transport Funds: When a child from a remote area is referred to one of the specialised treatment centres, the family have even more of a disruption to their lives. Added to all of the other issues, they have to find the money to bring the child long distances back to the hospital for ongoing treatment. Sometimes this can present major problems, especially to those from a disadvantaged background, and we try to ensure that a child is not prevented from completing its treatment by financial constraints on the family.

Parent counsellor / consultant: In some hospitals, we fund a person in the treatment centres to support parents, provide explanations, counselling, follow up, etc. This is especially important to those who are less well educated, or are not familiar with hospitals and medical treatments.

Bereavement support: We try to provide whatever support we can during the period of bereavement. This includes moral and sometimes material support for families before, during and after bereavement. In some places, we provide facilities (such as a car, phone, etc) and support to a volunteer or other persons to provide this service, and we train people to provide bereavement counselling. We also organise annual bereavement services, as well as meetings of bereaved parents, siblings etc.

Educational liaison: The continuity of school life can be an ongoing anchor in a sick child’s life. We have sponsored a “back to school project” to provide material for schools where children have been diagnosed, and people to talk to them if required.

Survivors groups / support: Supporting activities of groups of long-term survivors (incl newsletters). See the web page on SOLID. Go here.

Recreational support: Organising for the children to go on camps, outings, parties etc.

Educational support: Many long term survivors are educationally disadvantaged because of the loss of school time during treatment. Some support for secondary or tertiary education is one way of ensuring that the survivors are able to fulfil their academic potential.

Parent Respite: We are sometimes able to arrange accommodation etc for parents and families to have a break away from their homes, which gives them a chance to lead a more “normal” life for a short period.  

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