Help please 😢

Dear pet,

I’m so sorry to read about your situation,  I can’t imagine what you must be going through having to deal with a terminal cancer diagnosis let alone telling your children.  It is not an easy conversation to have with a child when speaking about a terminal diagnosis but by having this really tough conversation you are giving them the information and support so they know what to expect and they may feel confused, hurt, and angry if this news wasn’t shared with them.

What a child understands and how they react will greatly depend on their age and development, every child will react differently and sometimes children tend to cope better than adults.  You should prepare what you are going to say and try keep things honest, simple and relative to their ages.  They may ask difficult and repetitive questions which can be really tough but it helps them understand and come to terms with what is happening.  It is helpful for children to talk to them earlier in the day rather than the evening, this gives them the opportunity to ask questions that may pop up and it gives them time to digest the information.  Children may worry that it is their fault that you became unwell and it is important to reassure them that it is not their fault. 

We have a booklet on talking to children about cancer, which may be helpful for your situation to have a read to help prepare you for the conversation.  MacMillan Cancer Support also have some helpful information.  The social worker where you have been diagnosed will also be able to provide support to help you prepare for this coverstation.  Our cancer Nurseline is available on 1800 200 700 if you would like to speak with a cancer nurse for any support to help you during this really difficult time, we have a remote counselling service available that is free of charge and available to anyone affected by cancer including family member.

Take care.