Parent to Parent Blog Entries

  1. Laptops Help Bridge the Educational Gap for Children with Cancer

    When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the impact is profound. Consequently, every aspect of their life endures an overwhelming transformation. Not only do they experience a physical and emotional toll, but their educational journey can often become disrupted. Prolonged hospital stays, endless hours in waiting rooms, and treatments and their debilitating side effects can swiftly disrupt the child’s academic progress. But, on the positive side, laptops are emerging as powerful tools to help bridge the educational gap for children with cancer.

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  2. Responding to Sibling’s Cancer Diagnosis

    responding to siblings cancer diagnosis

    When a child is diagnosed with cancer, not only is the patient’s life turned upside down but so are the lives of family members.  Consequently, siblings may feel a range of emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, anxiety, jealousy, or guilt as they are responding to their sibling’s cancer diagnosis. Navigating these emotions and adjusting to the changes brought about by their sibling’s illness can be particularly challenging.  And these responses will alter as they continue to adjust to the ongoing changes cancer brings.

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  3. The Power of Positivity

    The power of positivity
    Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

    Embarking on a cancer journey is unquestionably one of life’s most challenging passages. In essence, it’s a path lined with uncertainty, fear, and physical and emotional adversity. Yet, amid the shadows of hardship, there exists a powerful source of strength – the human spirit. This extraordinary strength can emerge when one chooses to be uplifting despite the circumstances. Additionally, the power of positivity can be transformative.

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  4. Self-Care When Your Child Has Cancer

    Self-Care when your child has cancer
    Photo by Kaylee Garrett on unsplash

    Being a parent is already an incredibly demanding role, and when your child has cancer, your world can become an unimaginable tidal wave.  While your child’s well-being is unquestionably your highest priority, it’s just as important to take care of yourself. Granted, self-care when your child has cancer isn’t easy when all your energy and attention is focused on your child. But it’s an absolute necessity.  It’s important because in order to offer your child the best possible care, you need to be healthy and well yourself, both physically and emotionally.

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  5. Bringing Nature Inside: Helping Kids with Cancer

    Bringing Nature Inside Helping Kids with Cancer

    Photo by Sixteen Miles on Unsplash

    When a child is diagnosed with cancer, their world can quickly become confined to hospital rooms and treatment centers. During this challenging time, it’s important to create a healing environment that promotes their well-being and supports their emotional and physical recovery. As a matter of fact, one great way to achieve this is by bringing nature inside!  Here are some ideas on how families can incorporate nature into their child’s surroundings.  This can help lift their spirits, reduce stress, and even enhance their healing process.

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  6. Stress in Pediatric Cancer

    Stress in Pediatric Cancer
    Creating art projects can help reduce stress. Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

    Pediatric cancer is a tough battle that takes a toll on children’s physical and emotional health. And it’s not just about the treatments or side effects. Stress becomes a constant companion for both the children and their families. Therefore, it’s important to look at stress in pediatric cancer and explore ways to provide emotional support during this challenging journey.

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  7. “Go Bag” for the Emergency Room

    "Go Bag" for the Emergency Room
    Photo by Sun Lingyan on Unsplash

    No one wants to rush to the emergency room, especially with a sick child. But when your gut is telling you it’s serious, there’s no time to waste. Decisions like this often need to be made quickly during great moments of anxiety and uncertainty. And the last thing on anyone’s mind is to pack a “Go Bag” for the Emergency Room. This is not the time to be thinking about toothbrushes or phone chargers as everyone scrambles to help with what’s most important at the time.

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  8. Self-Care

    ASelf-Care
    Photo by James Wheeler on Unsplash

    As a parent or caregiver, there’s nothing more gut wrenching than watching your child struggle with a cancer diagnosis. And of course, you want to do everything you can to help them. Thankfully, in addition to medical care, there are many valuable tools parents can use to help their children cope with cancer. And among them is a self-care plan.

    Creating a plan with self-care strategies is a good way to help children feel emotionally and physically stronger. These strategies are particularly helpful for children when they are dealing with challenging situations like medical procedures or difficult treatments.  A self-care plan empowers them to continue to be resilient and better able to handle future stressors. In fact, even practicing small self-care acts like deep breathing exercises can promote body and mind wellness and decrease stress.

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  9. Journaling Through Cancer

    Journaling Through Cancer
    Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

    A cancer diagnosis can be difficult, even exhausting to process.  The treatment regimen is often physically and emotionally grueling. And it can be scary and overwhelming especially for kids. But research has found that putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard can be a powerful therapeutic tool. Journaling through cancer provides a vehicle for reflection and for sorting out one’s inner most thoughts. It’s a constructive way for your child to get feelings and emotions off their mind and onto paper. In fact, it can be an important part of self-care. Particularly as your child weaves through the uncertainty and fear that cancer characteristically fosters.

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  10. Cancer Journey

    Cancer Journey
    Photo by Chivalry Creative on Unsplash

    All kinds of people get cancer.  Grandparents, uncles, neighbors, teachers and yes, even children.  In fact, every year about 15,590 young people from birth to 19 years old will receive a cancer diagnosis in the United States. To put this in perspective, every day 47 families in the U.S. will learn that their child has cancer.  And for those of us who receive this gut-wrenching news, life instantly changes as cancer catapults our child into their cancer journey.

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