Telling child about advanced prostate cancer

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Hi, my husband has just been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer and we have been told it’s incurable but treatable. We have two young children - one is 2 years old so too little to understand really, but our eldest is 7, nearly 8. We think the right thing to do is to tell her now about Daddy having cancer and needing treatment, before chemo starts and she notices, but I’m petrified about her asking questions about whether he will die and how we answer that. Any advice on telling children about advanced cancer and any books / resources on this would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks 

  • Hello Anna and thank you for contacting the Online Community.

    Our publication Talking to children and teenagers when an adult has cancer includes suggestions about how to tell a child their parent has cancer, understand their reactions, help them cope, explain cancer treatments and deal with changes to your family life. It also talks about questions that they may ask and how to answer them.

    You might also find the links below helpful.

    Fruitfly Collective

    The Osborne Trust

    I agree that telling your daughter about her daddy’s diagnosis is the right thing to do Anna. Children often know when something serious is affecting the people they are close to. They may also notice changes in how the adults around them are feeling and behaving.

    How is your husband and how do you feel you’re coping with his diagnosis? Do you have much support around you just now, people to talk to about how you’re feeling and how this is affecting you?

    We’re here for yours and your husband’s emotional support, and we have Cancer Specialist Nurses here as well as a team of Money Advisers.

    Take care.

    Alex, Information and Support Adviser

    Remember you can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or by email.