When it comes to dealing with something like childhood illnesses, it can be comforting to know that you are not alone in what you are feeling, or the circumstances you are dealing with. It can be helpful to have someplace to go when looking for answers to questions, or when you are looking for support.
We have come across a variety of websites, blogs, and other like-minded organizations that we think our teammates and their families might find to be useful, supportive, and comforting.
Here are five of our favorite resources:
NEGU's goal is to provide “encouragement and support for families impacted by childhood cancer”. Much like us here at Cancer Kickers, they host a free program, called ClubNEGU, for kids actively fighting cancer and their families that provide them with gifts each month to help encourage and bring smiles to their faces.
The NEGU website also provides stories from the children they have helped, along with resources they have found to be useful.
This is a great organization, but also a great resource to look into for motivation and inspiring stories.
This is a great resource for parents!
Written by a mother of a child who is battling brain cancer and a registered nurse, this blog provides stories, insight, other resources, tips, and more from a parent who has been there.
Examples of content include but are not limited to: nutrition tips, household items that are deemed safe as well as unsafe to use, skincare tips, survivor stories, and much more. Overall, this “momcologist” provides information that can be used to help comfort, reassure, and inform our CKSC parents.
3. Battle Brynn
Battle Brynn is a website dedicated to telling Brynn’s story of battling Ewing Sarcoma.
It is a great resource that provides a deep and personal dive into Brynn’s battle with cancer that can be helpful for both kids and parents dealing with a similar diagnosis. This website includes blog posts from her family in addition to ways you can become involved. As part of the website, there is a tribute zone used to honor and share other stories of warriors, a list of helpful resources, and a place to sign up to participate or volunteer in Brynn’s annual golf benefit.
We are honored to have Brynn as one of our CKSC teammates!
4. The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: The Health Navigator
The NPCF website is a great resource on its own, but “The Health Navigator” is a specific page on their website that we find to be the most beneficial to our teammates and their families.
Managed by a Registered nurse, “The Health Navigator” is a resource that can be used to help you better understand a diagnosis, provide additional resources for you to use, and help connect families with people in the community who have experienced similar situations in relation to pediatric illnesses. To sum it up, this website is a great way to gain informed knowledge through the eyes of a healthcare provider.
5. American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO)
ACCO is a large organization that offers large amounts of information and support throughout its website to help children and families dealing with cancer. They offer “critical advice, support, and assistance” in efforts to fight childhood cancer.
This includes helping families learn more about childhood cancer, providing advocacy for research, programs that are beneficial to get involved in, facts on different medical studies and trials, a 24-hour peer support line, and more.
We find this resource to be one that can solve questions, concerns, and provide great insight and connection for families that are dealing with childhood cancer.
It is crucial that families have the resources they need when dealing with something as difficult and challenging as childhood cancer. It is important that you have a place to go when searching for answers, advice, tips, or community connections.