Families Facing Cancer

Ongoing program helps children adjust to a loved one’s cancer diagnosis

One of the first questions a patient might ask when diagnosed with cancer is, "What will I tell the children?" Likewise, a child might ask, "What’s going to happen to my loved one?"

Because cancer affects everyone in a family, the U-M Rogel Cancer Center offers Families Facing Cancer, a program dedicated to helping children of all ages who have a loved one diagnosed with the disease.

Families Facing Cancer educates and empowers adults, helping them support their children in many ways. The program offers recommendations on:

how to have conversations with children
how to parent during illness
finding necessary resources
interactive programs that support children in their understanding and abilities to cope

For patients who have a child in their life they are concerned about, the program has a resource kit for talking with children and aged-based activity books. Kits are available through a Families Facing Cancer referral.

Other components of the Families Facing Cancer program:

Tours planned for children of adult patients. These will be offered as needed to assist the child and family in managing and planning for their loved one’s treatment at the U-M Rogel Cancer Center.

Presentations by guest speakers, for patients and caregivers, relevant to parenting while ill

Partnerships with schools and community programs

Special programs and events for children and families

Voices Gallery exhibits created by families in collaboration with Art Therapy

For further information, contact: Madison McTevia, MA, CCLS; Families Facing Cancer Clinical Specialist, Program Coordinator at 734-615-6952 or via e-mail: [email protected].