Children: Why To Tell About Your Condition And How To Tell

For additional information or support when it comes time to tell your children about your illness, consider the following:

• A local disease specific non-profit organization may have specific information or advice to share and may have programs or support functions that your children can attend. For example, Cancer Support Community (formerly Gilda's Club) in New York City has what it calls "Noogieland" for children of people with cancer. Noogieland activities include Small Talk, a support group for children under 13 and Teen Time, an opportunity for teens to volunteer, discuss the impact of cancer on their lives and socialize. Noogieland also offers Noogie Nights, special supervised play hours for children whose parents are attending member activities; Noogie Fest, an annual Halloween party for children and their families and friends; and a transition program for children with cancer who are re-entering schools.
• Your health care provider may be able to provide educational resources or other local activities.
• Your navigator or social worker likely knows of local resources. Social workers in particular may be helpful in assisting with telling your children.
• Reading a book about the subject. Following are some well received books that may be of interest:
  • How to Help Children Through a Parent's Serious Illness, by Kathleen McCue, MA, CCLS, with Ron Bonn (New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1994)
  • When a Parent Has Cancer: A Guide to Caring for Your Children, by Wendy S. Harpham (Harper Collins, 1997)
  • My Mommy Has Cancer, Carolyn Sterns Parkinson (Solace Pub., 1991)
  • Centering Corporation has a series of books for children facing loss. See: www.centering.org or call 402.553.1200

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