Childhood Cancer Resources for Families

Childhood Cancer Resources For Families

After a child’s diagnosis, the biggest advocate for the child becomes the family. Learning about the disease and what resources are available to your family’s situation is part of being an advocate. This involves learning about your child’s standard of care resources including psychosocial services. While these services are optional, it’s recommended for families to look into the resources being provided. Common services, like the ones listed below, ensure each family member has the support they need to keep on fighting.

  • Advocacy (including financial): Understanding and using programs, financial help, policies, and laws
  • Education: Learning about the effects of cancer and its treatments, healthy stress management, and more
  • Supportive Counseling: Ways for all family members to talk with a professional about personal issues and concerns
  • Targeted Psychotherapy: Specifically focuses on emotional management 
  • Behavioral Interventions: Assistance in overcoming fears and concerns of cancer treatments such as fear of needles
  • Medication: Cancer treatments and medications can sometimes cause side effects that introduce negative behaviors. There are supplemental medications available to help lessen or negate these side effects
  • Referral to Outside Resources: Used to help families find resources dedicated to expenses that health insurance doesn’t cover 

Childhood Cancer Family Support

Housing for Patients Traveling for Cancer Treatment 

Transportation 

More often than not, families have to travel long distances in order for their child to receive the best care possible. There are several organizations that know how critical it is to make those appointments and keep a regular schedule of treatments. Here are some of those organizations who have dedicated resources to help those in need of transportation to treatments. 

Trips

With constant hospital stays and doctor visits, taking a trip for fun is a great relief for kids and parents. Making beautiful memories to remember later can help encourage all family members to keep on fighting and make more memories.

Support & Information

Bills & Expenses

Typically, parents have to cut back on work hours or stop working completely in order to be with their child. Extended hospital stays, which come with expenses of their own, are added to already strained finances. This is where these groups step in to help. Organizations, like the ones listed below, strive to support parents so they can focus on their child’s needs.