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My dad has breast cancer

Hi sam

I dont no how to start this but here

​Ok so 2 weeks ago my mum and dad told me and my brother my dad has breast cancer when they told me i was in shocked but i knew somehting was up for the past weeks before they told us and when they did i tried to stay strong and not cry but then i did cry but i havnt cried since know my dads going in for his sugery to get his breast removed and i dont no how i feel its werid yes im worried but i feel no emotions at the same time its weird and hard to explain but i am trying to think postitive and be strong for my dad and mum but its weird to have no emotions over somehting so big is this normal i feel like no one knows what i mean

​Thank you sam

Ask Sam


Hi there,

When someone we know gets very ill it can be hard to predict how we might react. It's important to remember though that there is no one way you should feel about what's happening. However you feel, even if you don't have any feelings, it's okay to accept those emotions and not to feel bad or guilty.

Whenever you get some shocking news it's possible that you don't feel anything at first. Big life changing events like this can be hard to understand as it's often too much to take in at once. Sometimes your brain and body block out feelings to protect you while it sinks in. This is normal and it's not something to be ashamed of or worried about.

In some cases you may not feel anything for a while and sometimes you may not feel anything at all. A complex thing like breast cancer is hard to understand, so it may be a while before you start to feel emotions about it. What's most important for now is to make sure you're aware of how you're feeling and that at some point you may need extra support.

It could be a good idea to start to think about who you might turn to if you needed that support. If there's nobody in your family or friends who you'd want to talk to, our Childline counsellors are always here for you. And you can also get support and advice from other young people on our message boards.

I hope that helps.

Thanks for your letter,


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