Practical resources and support to young families coping with cancer
Parenting can be challenging at the best of times. When a parent has cancer, life gets a whole lot tougher. This Hope & Cope program, geared towards the needs of young families coping with cancer, was launched officially on November 12, 2009.
“What do we tell the children?”
This is often the first thing that comes to mind when a parent is diagnosed with cancer. Our ”En famille” program has many resources to help you and your children through this frightening and challenging time.
- A series of illustrated booklets filled with great tips and strategies to help you talk to your children about cancer in simple, age-appropriate ways and maintain open and honest communication.
- A curated list of videos about talking to cancer with young children and teenagers.
- Telephone outreach and peer support offered by compassionate, cancer-experienced volunteers
- Home cooked, nutritious meals (Kerry’s Kitchen), prepared by volunteers, for parents who are too exhausted to cook. Strict COVID guidelines are observed at all times.
- Workshops for children and adolescents, allowing them to express their emotions through art, theatre and other creative ways, and to connect with children going through similar experiences. Some workshops include parents as well.
- A library with age-appropriate materials such as books, journals, dolls to familiarize very young children with hair loss due to cancer treatment, and more.
- Professional support and referrals to additional community resources
For information and support, please contact Sandy Lipkus, En famille Coordinator at 514 340-8222, ext. 22591.
For a list of books, websites and DVDs, please click here Bibliography 2018 – En famille
