Patient Resources
Gathering information about your child's cancer or blood disorder diagnosis is often helpful. Your doctors, social workers, and this website provides materials that may help while your child undergoes cancer or blood disorder treatment. The health care providers are your best resource. Other good sources of information are books and pamphlets. Your social worker can guide you to these reading materials.
Learning that your child has cancer or a blood disorder is overwhelming. Someone who has never experienced it before probably has little knowledge about childhood cancer or blood disorders.
Parents say that as time passes dealing with the cancer or blood disorder diagnosis becomes easier. Some parents believe this because they understand it better and because friends and family are lending their support. Talking to other families who have been dealing with a similar disease can also be a positive step. A strong support network for children and parents facing cancer and blood disorders spans the country, with local and national parents groups, support groups for children and their siblings, organizations that deal with education, and other branches.
The social workers can be a primary source of help. They can provide a good orientation to the clinic, are aware of special problems facing young patients and their families, provide information on how to get help from outside community agencies, and address many other nonmedical issues. Contact your social worker to identify resources that can be of great help to you.
- Advice from Parents of Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders
Parent2Parent reflects the feedback of other parents who have been where you are now. Remember, you are not alone. We have all been there. The children of these parents have been treated at Texas Children’s Cancer & Hematology Centers.
- Adolescent Program
The Adolescent Program brings teens of all ages and diagnoses together to facilitate friendships, provide support, answer questions, receive advice from long-term survivors, and, above all, have fun.
- Child Life Services
Talking to children about cancer can be difficult, especially if your child is scared or afraid of the doctors office. Our child life specialists know how to speak with kids with cancer so that the children know what to expect at an age-appropriate level.
- Psychosocial Support
Psychological and emotional support is provided for the challenges that families face when a child is diagnosed with cancer or a blood disorder.
- Social Workers
Learning that a loved one has cancer can be a difficult financial and emotional time. As a facility that focuses on family-centered medical care, our social workers assist patients and their families in adapting to a chronic illness or extended hospitalization.
- Camps
Camp Periwinkle, a weeklong summer camp experience is provided for children ages 7-15 with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses; Camp YOLO, a weekend camp is offered every fall and spring to teenagers with chronic illnesses. Our faculty, staff, and fellows are intimately involved in the camping opportunities for the patient population.
- The Cost of Medical Care
At the time of your child's diagnosis the last thing you may have on your mind is the cost of your child's medical care. However, you should be familiar with your medical coverage benefits and be able to provide documentation of these benefits.
- End of Life Care
The death of a child is viewed as outside the natural order of life. Children represent hope, energy, and health. A dying child can challenge our understanding of life, faith, and certainty in the future. For health care providers and families of dying children, questions abound.
- Words to Know
We want you to be involved, and so it is important to us that you understand what is happening to your child and what we are doing. During your child's treatment you may hear many new words. Following is a list of some of the words you are likely to come across.