4 Ways Your Community Can Support Kids with Cancer and Their Families

We don’t always know what to do to help when someone is suffering. Nothing feels like quite enough. No matter what, doing something is always better than doing nothing. Kids with cancer and their families need community love and support.

Not only can your efforts ease the financial burden of cancer treatment, but you can brighten a child’s day and make their journey that much more bearable.

Here are a few things you can do as individuals or as a community to help these families in need:

4 Ways to Show Support for Kids with Cancer & Their Families

1. Fundraise

Community fundraisers are a great way to give back. In some cases, families will set up GoFundMe campaigns or other online fundraisers to help cover their child’s medical expenses. While you may feel you can only give so much on your own, coming together to fundraise can make a big difference. You don’t have to do anything big or extravagant: a community or church bake sale, a community-sourced charity auction, sponsored 5k, raffle, or friendly competition can make a big difference.

Encourage local businesses and leaders to get involved. They can be sponsors or provide prizes. When you’re finished, the proceeds can go directly to the family or their personal fundraising campaign. 

There can be a great financial burden associated with cancer treatment. Even for kids who are treated for free at places like St. Jude, there is still the cost of transportation, food, and other essentials to consider. Fundraising can ease the stress and burden of an already stressful experience. 

2. Make Care Packages

Wary of handling money? That’s understandable. If fundraising isn’t in your wheelhouse, making care packages certainly can be. Care packages for children with cancer can be filled with all sorts of fun things: stuffed animals, art supplies, favorite snacks, journals, games, comfortable pajamas, and more. Ask their parent or another family member for a list of some of their favorite things to make it more personal.

Don’t forget the parents, either – they can always benefit from a care package of their own. Gift cards, candles, little luxuries, snacks, and drinks, throw blankets, and other small gifts make them feel seen and cared for as well. It is easy for these parents to focus solely on their children and forget to take care of themselves. A gift for the parents helps them remember that they are people who are loved, too.

If you don’t know an individual family or child but still want to help, there are plenty of resources that suggest gifts for care packages. You can set up a community drive to build these care packages, which can then be given to hospitals to distribute to pediatric cancer patients and their families.

3. Offer Specific Help

In the middle of a crisis, it can be difficult for people to process what they are feeling and what they need for support. As a community, the offer of specific help is much more impactful than a vague offer of “if you need anything, let me know!”

While well-intentioned, the family is unlikely to follow up with you. They may not know what they really need or may feel odd about reaching out and initiating that specific help. While the appropriateness of your help depends on the closeness of your relationship, being specific and proactive makes all the difference in the world.

If you know the family well, you can offer help with transportation, childcare, or household chores. If you are not as personally close, you can still help! Give gas cards, come by to mow their lawn, or help organize meals. Don’t wait to be told what is needed – take the initiative.

4. Reach Out

If you are unable to help a family in material ways, you can certainly help them socially and emotionally. While we might be tempted to say nothing for fear of saying something wrong, silence speaks volumes all on its own. It might not seem like much, but don’t overestimate the power of a heartfelt note or card. Let the family know you are thinking of them or praying for them; express your love and care for them in their time of need. A few words of encouragement can get someone through a bad day. 

You never know how impactful your words can be. Even if it feels awkward, reach out anyway. It makes more of a difference than you can imagine. 

Kicking cancer is about coming together as a community to love & support vulnerable kids!