Many pediatric hospitals have ongoing support groups for children with cancer. Often these groups are run by experienced pediatric social workers or psychologists who know how to balance having fun with sharing feelings. For many children, these groups are the only place where they feel completely accepted, and where most of the other kids are bald and have to take lots of medicine. The group is a place where children or teens can say how they really feel, without worrying that they are causing their parents more pain. Many children form wonderful and lasting friendships in peer groups.

Kristin goes to the kids’ support group while my wife and I attend the parents’ group downstairs. She doesn’t talk much about what goes on, but the facilitator keeps the parents apprised of how things are going. One very vocal 9-year-old boy has recently broken the ice with the kids. He really likes to talk about his feelings about having leukemia, and it has prompted the other children to begin to share their thoughts and reactions about the things that have happened to them. They also have lots of fun.

Some support groups accommodate the whole family—the child or teen with cancer, siblings, and parents. The youngest children can play or do crafts with trained volunteers, while older kids have a chance to talk and share, and the parents can do likewise. This makes it possible for the whole family to get to know other families on the childhood cancer journey.