A Letter for Siblings: How You Can Help Create a Restful Environment

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Hey there! We completely understand if you feel that things are completely unfair. Today, we want to talk to you about how you can help create a restful environment for everyone. Whenever the illness called cancer crops up in a family, things can get pretty hairy.

The person, your sibling, who needs to get treated, will need a lot of help from everyone. The parents will be the ones that will have to face a lot of the stress and the pressure but they will still try their best to take good care of everyone in your family. We’re writing this to let you know that there are things that you can personally do to help create a restful environment for your whole family. Here are a few tips for you:

Be a bit more patient

It can be quite frustrating when your mom and dad suddenly put for focus on your sibling and their needs. What you need to understand right now is that your parents are both very frightened. They are afraid that your sibling is going to get even more ill. Because of that, they will tend to worry a lot more. You can help everyone by being more patient with your family. Your mom and dad are really doing what they can.

Take care of yourself

If you feel like you need to stay with another family member, you should talk to your parents about it. Explain to them that you want to give them the chance to focus on your sibling and that you will be okay with your favorite aunt or uncle. You can even stay with your grandparents if that’s an available option. When you are in a place where you feel safe and secure, the better you will be feeling and willing to help your sibling.

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Give them company

If your parents are scared, imagine what your sibling must be feeling! A lot of the time, your sibling might be resting or can be in a lot of pain. You do not need to say anything especially since it can be difficult to think of what you can say to make them feel better. Instead, you can just show them that you care by being around them and keeping them company. After all, no one likes to feel like they’re alone—especially when they’re scared.

To Conclude

You are every bit an integral part of the healing process as all the medicines, checkups, and treatments that your sibling is getting. It is completely fine if you are feeling angry or sad, or even guilty about what is happening. What is important is that you sort those feelings out (get help if you can’t do it by yourself) and move forward with everyone.

Families take care of each other. So when you think about it, what can you do to help care for yourself and your sibling?

The Importance of Help: How Counseling Helps Everyone Involved

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There is no shame at all in asking for help. The event of cancer in the family is always one of the most stressful things one can ever experience. When you are helping to take care of someone else, it is important that you are mentally well. In order to achieve this, it would be important to seek counseling as it can help everyone in several ways.


Cancer is an invasive and wholly unwanted event in anyone’s life. When a diagnosis is made, it is not just the patient that needs to come to terms with this. The parents, siblings, and even the extended family all need to take time to accept this new reality.

A counselor can help everyone ease into their acceptance of the diagnosis. The sooner everyone is on the same page, the sooner they can move forward together and help the child in the center of the diagnosis.


Cancer brings the worst out in people at lot of the time. Not just in the patient; this illness can bring out the worst in those around the child. The stress of having to go for tests, the money involved, having to adjust to new schedules, etc. all of this can really drag out old hurts, make tempers clash, and make for a thoroughly unpleasant environment.

A counselor has the proper training to carefully address issues and help people come to a middle ground. A child undergoing treatment must not be subjected to a hostile environment. Counseling can help to sooth the process better for everyone involved.

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Humans are—let’s be honest about this—are wholly dramatic creatures. We often end up believing that no one can relate to what we are going through or that we alone are the ones who have to bear this burden.

A counselor can help connect families to groups and communities that are going through the same things. There is nothing that will make two people bond faster than the same situation or same experiences. After all, we mostly believe that the only ones who can understand are those that are in the exact same situation.

To Conclude

Seeking a counselor’s help can be one of the best decisions you have made in this whole journey. It is not just the caretakers that need counseling. Of course, the person undergoing this life threatening event in their life needs the most support. Cancer is something that most adults quake in the thought of. A child, who does not have the mature mental faculties, having to battle such an illness, is surely a marvelous feat. Naturally, they will need guidance.

How do you think counseling helps?

Film Education for Parents: Movies that Deal with Cancer

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When you have a child, the very last words you would ever want to hear is that they have been diagnosed with cancer. If you feel at a loss on how to handle this, try taking cues from these movies that have themes about cancer.

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

Not just another teeny-bopper movie, trust us. While there are some parts of the movie that will make you wonder how this can help, watch the whole thing. Not only does it touch upon serious themes like pediatric cancer, it also touches upon a multitude of other themes that comes with age and growing up.

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A Walk to Remember

When this movie first came out, no one was expecting much from it. Those that had already read the book knew what to expect. Even for those that did not read the novel were all drawn in by the pacing, acting, and the journey taken by the characters as a whole! This particular movie focuses on how we touch and eventually change each other’s lives when given the chance.

The Fault in Our Stars

Undoubtedly one of the more popular films that rocked the recent decade, this film was literally huge. It follows the tale of two teens with their struggles with pediatric cancer. Do not let the seemingly cheesy lines or “unbelievable” turn of events sour your outlook on this film. Surprisingly poignant and quite the unexpected adventure, this is one movie that you will want a couple of boxes of tissue nearby.


While not about pediatric cancer, this still touches upon some pretty accurate events of what it is like to get an unexpected diagnosis and the processes the follow afterwards. Many of us had a loved one that preempted the hair loss by shaving their head. They found the movie completely relatable in terms of the feelings of fear, uncertainty, with some perkiness thrown in—making for a completely humanized tale.

To Conclude

While these may not be the type of movies that you would want to watch (given the situation and all), you should still give it a try. Every painful film yields lessons that we can apply in our actual lives. You can see for yourself the regret that it etched into the script of each film and determine for yourself what sort of character you would be in the movie of your child’s life.

Which of the movies above gave you a lesson?

Joining a Walk: What Items Should You Bring With You?

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If you have decided to join a charity walk to show your support for those who are battling pediatric cancer, good for you! Before you do go on that walk, it is important that you are suitably prepared. Many of the ones that are attending for the first time are usually unfamiliar with what they should bring with them.

To help those and to also serve as a refresher for those who have not gone in a while, here are a few items that you should bring with you:

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Sunscreen or an umbrella

Regardless of the weather forecast on the day of the event, it is important to be prepared. Most event walks are held in the early mornings to late afternoon. This can mean a lot of exposure to the sun (or rain). As such, it would only make sense to be prepared accordingly. If it is sunny, make sure that you and those you are with are protected from the rays of the sun. If it is rainy, make sure that you are all wearing articles of clothing that are wet resistant. It would also be smart to bring along an umbrella which can be used whether it is raining or sunny.

Comfortable Shoes

Regardless of the length of the walk you signed up for, you can still expect a relative amount of time standing around. As such, it would be good to wear your comfy shoes. Preferably, the ones that provide ample support for your feet and legs!


If you are prone to asthma, a delicious snack for bugs, or are prone to whatever ailment, it would be important that you have the necessary medicines with you. It would also be good if you were to bring any band-aids for any cuts, scratches, or scrapes that you can potentially get. If you have someone with you who does have pediatric cancer, having their medicine on hand is critical.

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While events like these often have a water station, it can be a ways off and it would be a hassle to have to keep going back whenever you feel a little thirsty. As such, it would be a better idea to bring your own handy (and lightweight) thermos or water container. This can help ensure that you are hydrated throughout the whole thing.

To Conclude

Fortune favors the prepared. When it comes to showing your support to an event as important as a kids walk, it would be in your best interest to have everything you need. While there are booths at the event itself that try provide anything that they believe that the attendees might need, it would be better to be responsible for yourself and have what is needed.

Take a look at some of the items that we have listed above. Which ones do you personally bring to a support charity event?

Ignorance Kills: Four Common Myths Surrounding Pediatric Cancer

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In a perfect world, everyone would have a better understanding regarding pediatric cancer. However, we all know that this is hardly the case. We know this because of the four common myths that often surround pediatric cancer.

Myth: Got a Tumor? That’s Cancer!

Usually when a tumor is seen in a scan, there is an immediate—and false—belief that this means that there is cancer present in the body. There is a reason why tumors do need to be tested in order to obtain a definitive answer. Tumors can either of two things: malignant or benign. Usually, when a doctor tells you that a tumor is benign, a sigh of relief is due. However, as children’s bodies are still developing (and they develop quickly) this can affect the speed of the growth and spread of the illness.

Myth: Cancer Runs in the Bloodline

While for adult cancer, the doctors will ask you if there was anyone in both sides of the genealogy tree who had cancer. When it comes to pediatric cancer, it is a different story. There is no concrete way to determine where childhood cancer is ‘inherited’ from. This is something that a lot of parents waste time feeling guilty over. There is nothing they could have done from a realistic standpoint to prevent their child from being diagnosed with cancer.

Myth: Cancer is Communicable

It is not and it never has been. A lot of children who are already battling cancer are unjustly treated to more stress because of this incorrect belief. While cancer is certainly devastating in one so young, there is no way they can pass on their illness to other children.

Myth: All Children Diagnosed with Cancer Die

No. If this was the case then no one would bother with trying to find a cure or undergo treatment. There have been a lot of cases wherein childhood cancer went into remission. There have also been cases where the pediatric cancer was made manageable.

To Conclude

We all need to work together to ensure that only factual and modern understanding of childhood cancer is being shared and passed around. Myths may seem harmless to some. However, when someone’s well-being is at stake, a myth that is mistaken for truth can be fatal. This is why we implore you to share the knowledge and debunk myths when you hear them.

Speaking of which, what myths have you actually heard about childhood cancer?

Why is Joining a “Walk” Important for Pediatric Cancer?

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You may have heard of a Kid’s Walk for Children’s Cancer. This website was borne out of such a ‘walk’. Today, let’s discuss why joining one is very important.

What’s a Kid’s Walk for Cancer?

If you have not heard of this particular event, this is normally an annual event in various locations. It is a charity event where people can sign up to join. While pediatric cancers are very real and affect a large number of children all over the world, the research is still lacking. This is primarily because it is underfunded. A Kid’s Walk for Pediatric Cancer is an event where people can get together to change that.

Why is it Important to Join One?

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A majority of the funding that pediatric cancer research utilizes are from private donations. We all should not stand idly by and wait for large corporations or wealthy entities to donate their funds. The everyday citizens—friends and families of those afflicted by childhood cancer—should be able to do what we can to help fund the research.


An event such as this is usually a place where cancer patients, their families, supporters, medical personnel, and even research organizations come together to meet and provide support to show everyone how pediatric cancer has affected lives and how those lives are doing what they can. This kind of event is one that helps to build a good community of people who all have a common goal: to obtain a definitive cure.


Yes, we have mentioned that pediatric cancer is something that affects millions of children all over the globe. Despite this, there is still very little that is known about it and its many, many subtypes. People need to be more aware of the initial symptoms in order to promote early detection. Parents need to become more aware on what they can do to help their child better if they are diagnosed with cancer.

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To Conclude

We should all be in this together. Pediatric Cancer is blight that affects what should be the foundation of our society and our continuance as a species. It also important to remember that a majority of the breakthroughs in medicine regarding adult cancers was all based off information obtained from the research of childhood cancers.

Considering the reasons we have cited above, why do you think it would be important to join a ‘walk’ for Pediatric Cancer?

Continuing the Good: Three Ways You Can Help Those with Pediatric Cancer Part II

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Our last discourse on this topic was met with a pretty positive response. As such, we would like to continue to provide more specific ways on how you can help those with pediatric cancer. We say more specific because many of you asked for particular ways rather than the more ‘generic’ answers. Thank you for pointing that out to us, by the way!

It’s great that we have readers that are very involved with the direction that this resource is going. Everyone in the writing team got together to offer up ways they have given to those with pediatric cancer in their personal lives. These are some of their responses:


As you may imagine, when someone in the family is presently battling childhood cancer the time schedules can be quite hectic. With hospital runs for check ups, testing, and even confinement, the family itself can feel quite strained or stretched too thin. If there are other children in the family, the attention of the parents may be focused on other things.

You can help you by offering to carpool for trips to the hospital or offering to drive the other kids to school or anything they might need is a VERY big help to the family. You must not underestimate what weight can be lifted just by offering this aid.

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Child Minding

For a family with a child with pediatric cancer, there can be very little opportunities for the parents to work on their relationship with each other. When there is illness in the family, the parents must be able to sustain their partnership. Cancer in the family is very stressful event. In order for the child to be able to undergo strenuous treatments, the environment must be at peace.

You can help by offering to mind the fort while the parents get a much needed night off or two. Just as any relationship expert will tell you, a marriage is something that constantly needs to be worked on. This is even truer when there is something as taxing as pediatric cancer.


There are several organizations that are dedicated to finding a cure and better treatments towards pediatric cancer. Of course, this requires time, effort, and money that many of them do not have access to. As such, donating whatever you can—no matter how small—is a HUGE help toward those that have pediatric cancer.

To Conclude

Being able to help out someone who is already being brave and battling an illness that would make most adults fold is a pretty special thing. Even if you do not directly focus on helping the child, helping their family is a big step toward the right direction. Of course, there are several other ways in which you can help out patients and the families of those who have children that suffer from pediatric cancer.

Which ways have you personally tried out?

Becoming Involved: Three Ways You Can Help Those with Pediatric Cancer Part I

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When someone you know or someone you are related to have been diagnosed with Pediatric Cancer, things suddenly change. It can be difficult to feel like you cannot do anything to help the situation. The truth of the matter is there are a lot of things that you can do.

Here are three particular ways that you can help:

Be Present

When a child is diagnosed with an illness that has been known to have been fatal to so many, it is an understandably terrifying time. The life which that person and their family have known so far has definitely come to an irrevocable end. When such a thing has occurred, it is important to be an ever fixed mark in the whole process—especially if the child is related to you.

A lot of people do not realize the comfort that a steady presence brings.

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Follow Words with Action

A family that has someone battling pediatric cancer will undoubtedly feel a lot of strain in a lot of different areas. Their mental state will be strained, their finances will be stretched thin, and fractures will show up in the family’s security.

As such, it is extremely important to follow up your declarations of support with actual action. It can be something as simple as offering to bring food for the whole family or gifting them with a gift card in lieu of handing over actual money. Just make sure that the gift card is something that they can actually use like those in pharmacies or groceries.

Always Be Aware of the Family’s Wishes

In the land of social media, it can be fairly easy to overstep boundaries. Sharing a photo or a status can seem innocent enough, especially if you have good intentions about it. However, you must always check if this is going to be okay with the family or the patient themselves. This is a difficult period in their lives and they may want to be quite private about it.

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If they do wish to be private about it, you can help safeguard their privacy by monitoring any information that is shared by other people.

To Conclude

It does not take much to help out someone who is battling pediatric cancer. The three things we have listed above are small and big ways in which you can show your support and help out. What is wonderful about the desire to help is the fact that there are a lot of different ways to lend your aid.

Which ways have you tried?

Joining the Fray: Two Things You Can Expect From Us

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If there was anything in this world that we would like to remove, it would have to be disease and affliction. There have been far too many young lives that have been affected by pediatric cancer. When you are a parent, one of the most fervent wishes you will have is the continued good health of your child.

When they become afflicted by something that is beyond anyone’s control, it can be quite difficult for everyone involved. If we base it off the statistics that were collected last year, over ten thousand children in the US alone have been diagnosed with cancer. This is a reality that many of us cannot escape in this life. While we cannot do much, we still want to do what we can.

That said, there are two sure things that you can expect from us:

Timely Articles

Despite the vast availability of information online, there are still a lot of people who do not know where to go to obtain the things they need to know. As such, we strive to provide steady monthly or so articles that focus on a variety of topics as it pertain to health and pediatric cancer.

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Our Continuous Support

As there are more and more children being diagnosed everyday, we understand that this is a fight that we must continue to persevere. This site and the people behind it shall continue to provide our support no matter how long it takes.

To Conclude

We all need to be involved when it comes to the topic of cancer. This is an illness that affects millions of us yearly. We all need to put in our effort to find a cure and offer our relentless support for those presently fighting cancer. We also must provide suitable support for the families and institutions that aim to find treatment that works—and hopefully, one day a permanent cure can be found.