My gran has just been diagnosed and my teenage son is really struggling, does anyone know any support sources for helping a child deal with this? Thanks
FormerMember
Very sorry to hear this . There is a massive gap in the market for support of children suffering grief and anxiety before bereavement. We found it was a funding issue. It very much comes down to where you are? We sourced some groups but they were restricted to different counties. Maybe add your area to the post. Hope someone here can help you more.
I found one of the best supports for my youngest daughter when I was diagnosed and given an incurable diagnosis when she was 12 was her school. I informed them about what was happening at home and they gave her a member of staff she could talk to and put things in place for her if she felt things were getting on top of her. She built up a really good relationship with the member of staff helping her and was able to talk about her worries without the fear of adding to problems at home xx
Just had a thought - Maggie’s centres are really proactive in trying to support families. We attended a fab family day last year (my eldest is 13). They have centres at hospitals around the UK and were set up to support people with cancer and their families/loved ones. Brilliant to just pop in for a tea/chat/advice if you are near one. They arranged art therapy for the kids and counselling yoga for myself and my husband.
Worth looking at some books such as the Winstons Wish range - there is one specifically for teens ‘Out of the Blue’ but again, deals with bereavement more than illness.
