Overcoming Cancer with Research - Making Successes Public

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Aftercare Projects

Last update on: 01/20/2009

Children, suffering from cancer

and have thus been isolated from their peers over months, must give up on a lot of things which are part of childhood. They need help and support, in order to master these experiences and strains without great psychological damages.

Lasting effects on parents and siblings

The effects of children's cancers remain lasting integral parts of the lives of patients and their families. Especially during medical intensive treatment, during which parents increasingly support the affected child, siblings are very often left to themselves. Feelings of abandonment, jealousy, anger and even the fear of themselves falling sick are not a rarity.

A specifically difficult psychological and social situation is faced by single parents, who must divide themselves between job and childcare and thus feel torn.

The painful loss of a child- whether suddenly or slowly after a long battle with cancer is a particularly painful journey for parents and siblings. It is also the aim of aftercare projects to provide qualified mourning support.

The aims of different aftercare programmes of the Austrian Children's Cancer Aid and of the German Childhood Cancer Foundation is to support children with cancer, former children's cancer patients, siblings and affected families in

gaining new courage and strength after the long treatment.
sharing experiences amongst others concerned
dealing with specific experiences and changed circumstances of life and learning to integrate them into their lives.