Resources
Childhood cancer: Feeling out of control
As a parent of a child with cancer, your life changes instantly. The stress and pressure can become all consuming, but it’s normal to feel out of control at times.
When your child is diagnosed with cancer, managing hospital visits and doctors appointments, medications, finances, work and the needs of other family members means there will be times when you feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Even though there are many challenges, big and small, there are still things you can do to feel more in control. Here are some practical strategies parents have shared with us.
Managing time in hospital
Even short hospital stays can test us, and this is one of the places parents tell us they feel least in control.
Here are some of the small, practical things parents shared that helped them gain a sense of control in hospital:
- bringing things from home like favourite toys, blankets and pillows
- keeping a bag packed with essentials by the door, ready for unexpected hospital visits
- listening to music or podcasts while waiting
- taking short breaks outside hospital when you can
- writing down your thoughts and feelings in a notebook
- connecting with a Redkite Social Worker by phone or email to talk through ways to make your hospital stays easier.
Gathering and sharing information
Cancer treatment involves a team of health professionals. Your child’s treatment team may include oncologists, surgeons, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists and social workers, to name a few. Each of these health professionals will have information about your child’s treatment.
Keeping track of this information is one way to create a sense of control. Alongside pen and paper, here are some online tools you might find useful:
- CancerAid: Tracks symptoms, side-effects and appointments, provides medical information and connects you with others going through cancer treatment.
- CanTeen Connect for Parents: An online community where parents of young people with cancer talk with others and receive free professional counselling.
- LivingWith: Tracks mood, pain levels and sleep, updates family and friends, stores treatment information and allows you to ask for support with daily tasks.
- Cancer Terms Dictionary: Contains 1,500 common cancer-related terms, expressions and idioms without the unpredictability of Google search results.
Talking with a Social Worker
At any stage of your child’s treatment, connecting with a Redkite Social Worker can be a way to regain a sense of control. Redkite Social Workers can work with you to find your strengths, sources of support, and strategies to make day-to-day life easier.
Here are some of the ways you can connect during your child’s treatment:
- By phone or email: Sharing your experiences with a social worker by phone or email means you can connect at a time that works for you. Redkite offers phone support Monday to Friday, 9am – 7pm AEST, along with email support.
- In person: You may find that talking with a social worker face-to-face is the best way to work through challenges and find sources of strength. Redkite offers face-to-face counselling in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth.
Other sources of support
More information
- If you need immediate crisis support, Lifelineis available 24 hours on
13 11 14 - beyondblueoffer 24-hour support from trained mental health professionals by phone on
1300 22 4636 - The Cancer Council provides information on caring for someone with cancer and information for working carers.
- You can read more about emotions and cancer in our emotional wellbeing section.
Related resources
Staying in the hospital for the first time: Teenagers
When it comes to hospital and treatment centres, teenagers can be sent to either a children’s hospital or an adult facility.
Staying in the hospital for the first time: Teenagers
When it comes to hospital and treatment centres, teenagers can be sent to either a children’s hospital or an adult facility.
Redkite Music Box: Supporting families through music
Redkite Music Box is here to help you and your family while you’re going through treatment, when you are at home, between hospital visits or after treatment is finished.
Redkite Music Box: Supporting families through music
Redkite Music Box is here to help you and your family while you’re going through treatment, when you are at home, between hospital visits or after treatment is finished.
