Child life specialists typically work with children who are facing medical challenges, but they also work with children of adult patients. When a caregiver receives a health diagnosis the magnitude of stress, anxiety and fear can be overwhelming because they have children to care for. They don’t know how to explain the illness to their kids, they aren’t sure how it will disrupt their lives and the heaviest one, they don’t want to die and have their kids go through life without them.
In the U.S. 1 out of 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Rethink Breast Cancer has teamed up with Morgan Livingstone a Certified Child Life Specialist to create free resources to help families cope with a breast cancer diagnosis.
Reading Pamphlets:
Talking to your kids about breast cancer: A guide for parents
The Kids’ Guide to Mommy’s Breast Cancer
Videos:
This unique animated series, called MISSION: Recovery is illustrated by Clayton Hanmer and uses an imaginary world combined with the thoughts and voices of real kids who have had a parent with breast cancer to offer helpful strategies and tips to help children understand the disease, what their parent is going through, the feelings they may be experiencing themselves, and the importance of asking for help when they need it.
The Discovery
Operation Rescue
H.E.L.P. Squad
The Black Dot Returns
Transmission Feelings
They have also created fun activities to do with kids based on Mission: Recovery.
To learn more tips to help young families cope with breast cancer, check out Rethink Breast Cancer.
