for many people, it’s profoundly confronting to hear that a child (OR GRANDCHILD) of someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer.
You immediately experience extreme empathy, and a desire to help. But how to help? What could one say or do that would make any difference at all?
The best gifts are ones that will be experienced as genuinely helpful by the recipient, and which can be willingly given by the giver.
If you’re going down the physical gift route, please be mindful of a few things:
Many hospitals have restrictions on balloons (particularly latex ones), and sometimes on flowers. Check to see if the hospital you’re visiting has any such restrictions.
If you bring it into the hospital, then the family you’re giving it to will have to bring it home. Because presents are the most immediate idea for helping that people have, how much stuff the family has to bring home can quickly get out of control. Think about sending it to their home instead, so that the family has a choice about whether or not to bring it in to the hospital.
resources
Present ideas based on age of the child
Want to give a gift, but aren’t sure what to get? This list should make it a bit easier.
Not all presents are great for hospital, but that’s okay - not all cancer kids spend all their time in hospital. We’ve included a little asterix against present ideas that are particularly hospital friendly.
making a special contribution
We all have special skills, strengths, and interests, which enable each one of us to make a unique contribution to others. For example - are you a great photographer? You could offer to photograph the family of the child with cancer. Are you a beautician? If the family isn’t getting any time at home, you could offer to visit mum in hospital and give her an express facial. Are you particularly good at painting a house, or reticulation, or handy-man things? You could offer to paint their house, or fix their reticulation, or do 10 handy-man things that they haven’t gotten to yet.
For a family with a child who has cancer, it will be so much easier for them to respond to a specific offer, than to a “tell me what you need” offer.
This is a workbook for getting clear on what you could give, what you’d be happy to give, and how to clearly offer that.
How a workplace can best support an employee with a really sick child
Looking for ideas beyond flowers and letting people use up their annual leave? Here are the best ways that workplaces have supported parents of a child with cancer as they go through treatment.
Life in isolation: how to help a family that can’t leave their hospital room
Whether it’s due to pandemic lockdowns, or a child being so acutely ill that they’re put into isolation, there are situations where a family simply cannot have visitors. That is, invariably, a really lonely time.
Here are some ways that you can still brighten the days of families in that situation.