To learn more
National organizations and websites*
Cancer Really Sucks
Website: www.cancerreallysucks.org
A monitored, online resource designed for teens by teens who have loved ones facing cancer
CancerCare
Phone number: 212-712-8848
Website: www.cancercare.org
Offers “Pillow Talk,” a care package to help families better communicate with each other and feel more comfortable talking about cancer.
Children’s Treehouse Foundation
Website: www.childrenstreehousefdn.org
Website includes resources and locations of support programs for children whose parents have cancer.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Toll-free number: 1-800-422-6237
TTY: 1-800-332-8615
Website: www.cancer.gov
To learn more about cancer, or to get special information for teens; you can call to order a special booklet for teens whose parents have cancer or read it online at: www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/when-your-parent-has-cancer
Last Revised: December 12, 2014
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer: Dealing with Recurrence or Progressive Illness
- How can I help anyone else when I’m so upset about the cancer coming back?
- How should I talk about cancer recurrence with my children and help them cope with it?
- What is a child’s greatest worry if a parent’s illness progresses?
- What about the “why” questions?
- How might my advancing cancer affect my child’s spirituality or religious faith?
- How do children react to the thought of a parent’s death?
- Isn’t having a positive attitude important in fighting the cancer?
- How can I help my child when I have so little energy?
- How will I know if my children need extra help?
- Will this experience leave my children with emotional scars?
- To learn more
- References