By Les Friedman, CEO and Mikey’s dad

“Your child has cancer.”  These words are probably the most frightening words a parent will ever hear. And amidst our own fears, is the equally daunting thought of talking with your child about cancer.

Talking with your child about cancer: why they need to know

It’s only natural to want to protect our children from the cancer and the fear that comes along with it. For this reason, it may be tempting to consider holding off talking with your child about cancer or even not telling him at all. But not telling the truth will only lead to problems later.

Kids usually know when something is wrong. They may not be feeling well or may wonder why they have so many medical visits.  In fact, some children will create their own idea as to what they think is wrong.  Not knowing what is wrong or what to expect may cause your child even more anxiety, stress, and fear.  For this reason, being honest tends to lessen a child’s stress, guilt, and confusion.

By Les Friedman, CEO and Mikey’s dad

The spread of the Novel Coronavirus has placed social distancing in the forefront of global attention.  For most people, this is probably their first experience practicing social distancing to avoid infection.  But for cancer patients, it’s well, just another Monday.  The concept of social distancing is all too familiar for cancer patients, whose immune systems may be compromised because of their disease or treatment.

Wearing a mask, donning gloves, avoiding crowds and frequent hand washing aren’t anything new. While this behavior is the new normal for everyone during COVID-19, it’s the “always normal” for cancer patients.  

That’s why when it comes to coping with isolation, cancer patients are a step ahead of everyone else.  Because they’ve been practicing social distancing and staying connected, while apart, for years. 

By Les Friedman, Mikey’s dad

When the doctor speaks with you about your child’s diagnosis, you might hear what he’s saying, but hearing isn’t the same as understanding.  This happens not only because it’s difficult to process information after receiving overwhelming news, but also because childhood cancer has its own complex vocabulary of medical terms and acronyms. Lots of new information coupled with a lot of emotion makes it difficult to process what you were just told. As a result, you may find yourself wondering, “What did the doctor just say?”

By Les Friedman
CEO and Mikey’s dad

When your child is about to begin chemotherapy, you may already know the possible side effects such as nausea, loss of appetite, and fatigue. But are you prepared for the mood swings and emotional changes that your child may experience during his treatment? Just like chemotherapy side effects that you can physically see, such as hair loss, mental health issues are also a very real and common effect for kids coping with cancer.