I don’t understand my illness?

• You might get medicine called chemotherapy which is a very special medicine that fights the cancer cells. You will get the medicine through a  tiny tube called an intravenous line (IV). An IV looks like a tiny straw that goes into a vein in your arm through a needle. You might feel a quick pinch  when the doctor puts it in, but then it is done. Then doctor will secure it with a plaster. The IV helps the medicine to get transferred throughout  your whole body so that the cancer cells can be destroyed. Unfortunately, because the chemotherapy passes through all your cells, not just the  cancer ones, you might get tired, and you might get sores in your mouth (so remember to brush your teeth with a very soft toothbrush and keep  your hands washed too). Your hair might fall out but will grow back once you have completed your treatment. Tummy upsets (diarrhoea) and  feeling nauseous can also happen but the doctor will give you some medicine to help these effects 
• Some childhood cancer patients may also need radiation which is like a very strong energy wave (like an X ray) that can target the cancer. The  energy wave can go inside your body and help fight and destroy the bad cancer cells that make you sick. You will lie down on a soft bed while the  machine does its work. It doesn’t hurt while it’s working, but it can make the part of your body that has been treated feel a little like it has sunburn 
  and you might feel tired later, but this will get better with time after the doctor treated you. The machine might make a funny noise, but it won’t  touch you.  
• In some cases, surgery is needed to remove the tumour. You will be asleep and won’t feel anything, and you may have pain after the operation  and a scar when the wound heals. You can talk to the surgeon about the operation and what the recovery will look like. 
• There is a soft part inside your bones called bone marrow. That is the “factory” where your blood is made. Sometimes, the cancer or the treatment  can make the marrow too tired or sick to work and then doctors need to do stem cell transplants. These new cells go into your blood (through  your line, not surgery!) and travel to your bone marrow. There, they start making new, healthy blood to help your body get strong again.
• Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps your own immune system to recognize cancer cells and to fight and destroy them. This  therapy is used for high-risk cancers, and your doctor will explain all the reasons to use it as well as the possible side effects.

When you ask your doctor or parent to help you understand what is happening to you, it shows a lot of courage.  

• Write down the questions so that you won’t forget what you want to ask.  
• You can bring a parent, nurse or a friend to help you to ask your questions. 
• Ask one question at a time. This will give the doctor or the medical team time to answer all your questions in a way that you understand them. 
• If you don’t understand what they are telling you, it is okay to ask the same question more than once. 
• You can tell the doctor anything about what is happening to you. Here are some examples of questions that you can ask.  

Questions about your illness

• “What is wrong with my body?” 
• “What kind of sickness do I have?” 
• “Why did this happen to me?” (It’s okay if the answer is not exact — doctors may explain it in a simple way.) 
• “Which part of my body is sick?”

Questions about your treatment 

• “What kind of medicine or treatment will I get?” • “How will it help me get better?” 
• “Will it hurt?” 
• “How long will I have to stay in the hospital?” • “Will I need surgery, or just medicine?” 
• “What will the treatment feel like?” 

Questions about side effects 

• “Will I feel sick, tired, or sore?” 
• “Will it make my hair fall out?” 
• “Can I still eat, play, or go to school?” 

Questions about what’s normal 

• “Is it normal to feel scared, sad, or angry?” • “Can I still play or do my hobbies?” 
• “What can I do to feel better?” 
   

Questions about support 

• “Who can I talk to if I feel sad or scared?” 
• “Can my friends or pets visit me?” 
• “Will my parents or family always be with me?” 
  
   

• CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA. (n.d.). Welcome to Kiddies Corner. Hey! I’m Keemo. https://choc.org.za/keemos-corner-childhood cancer-awareness/ 

MOVE FROM CCI WEBSITE RESOURCES TO HERE: 

• My scans - https://www.childhoodcancerinternational.org/resources/my-scans 
• My cancer - https://www.childhoodcancerinternational.org/resources/my-cancer 
• My medicine - https://www.childhoodcancerinternational.org/resources/my-medicine 
• Brave Maeve -https://static1.squarespace.com/static/632ccbc05ecc0b02aa3214b9/t/63ebdc560b1f8637dd2020c1/1676401754044/book_medinfo_brave_ maeve.pdf 
• Radio Robby - 
  https://static1.squarespace.com/static/632ccbc05ecc0b02aa3214b9/t/63ebdaf6faf29701c0c45535/1676401403049/book_medinfo_RadioRo bby_Dutch.pdf 

Read More:

• KidsHealth Hauora Taikamariki. (n.d.). Common Questions Kids Ask About Cancer. https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/childhood-cancer/common questions-kids-ask-about-cancer?utm_source 
• National Cancer Institute. (2023). National Cancer Institute. (2023). Stem Cell Transplant for Cancer. https://www.cancer.gov/about cancer/treatment/types/stem-cell-transplant?utm_source 
• American Cancer Society. (2024). Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant for Children with Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing cancer/treatment-types/stem-cell-transplant.html?utm_source 
• RWJ Barnabas Health. 2023. 5 Tips for talking to Kids about cancer. Rutgers Health. Rutgers Cancer Institute. https://cinj.org/5-tips-talking kids-about-cancer?utm_source