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Resources for children

A cancer diagnosis can be upsetting and frightening. If you are a parent, worrying how your children will react to the news can add to your anxiety. Do not let your desire to protect your children prevent you from talking openly and honestly about your diagnosis. It is healthy to have realistic conversations about cancer as a family.

Studies show that it is better to tell children than to hold back information, and it is better to tell them sooner than later. Children are intuitive. If someone in the family has been diagnosed with cancer, and the children are not involved in discussions, they may feel sad, afraid and unable to ask about it. Discussing cancer allows children to get a clear picture of the situation, and can eliminate many of their imagined fears.

For more information, see:

•  Talking to your children about cancer (PDF)
•  What about the children? (PDF)

In partnership with Angel Foundation, Park Nicollet offers “Facing Cancer Together,” a free class designed to provide information and support to families as they face the challenges of cancer. While parents meet, children join their peers in age-specific groups.