Awareness and Assistance in School - Leucan - the Association for children with cancer

My hair was just starting to grow back a little, but I was still wearing my little hat. I was afraid that my friends would ask questions like ‘Why do you look like a boy?’ or ‘Why is your belly so swollen?’ Mélissa from Leucan came to my school to explain what cancer was. My friends had a chance to ask their many questions, which made things easier for me. They won’t laugh at me anymore because now, they understand.Sarah, daughter of Bouchra and child member of Leucan

Established in 2001, the awareness and assistance in school program supports children in pursuing their schooling despite the disease and its treatments. This program also helps parents in their communication with the educational environment and raises awareness about pediatric cancer in schools.

The program’s objectives are multifold:

To inform, equip and raise the level of awareness among the school staff and classmates about the realities and special needs of cancer-stricken children
To demystify cancer
To support the cancer-stricken child’s siblings and classmates
To provoke reflection and awareness in children and to bring them to take actions to help the cancer-stricken child

Examples of situations where the awareness and assistance in school program proves useful:

Following the diagnosis and due to treatment protocols, cancer-stricken children can be forced to miss school for a while. Their classmates will then wonder where they are, why they are not in school, etc… This program will help teachers to explain the situation to their students.
Upon their return in school, children who underwent treatment might look different (weight gain or loss, hair loss, etc…), which could lead to rejection or judgement from other students due to misinformation.
The siblings of a sick child can feel helpless in front of other children’s questions about the disease. That is why it is important to build awareness among the siblings’ classmates so that they feel supported too.

Upon the child’s return at home, Leucan may also provide support to parents in their efforts to pursue their child’s schooling at home, if necessary.

In 2016-17, Leucan supported 85 affected children by visiting 97 schools and meeting with more than 8,780 children to demystify cancer and increase their awereness of the reality of their sick classmate.

To learn more about the awareness and assistance in school program, please contact your local Family Services Agent.

Tools

Several tools have been produced to facilitate student awareness and to foster communication between the school, the family, the medical team and Leucan.

You can download Cancer and school life: A guide for school environment personnel, which sums up all the points to consider when a student is diagnosed with cancer.
Download the reference tool for parents

Welcome Service at the Hospital

Emotional Assistance and Support

Socio-recreational activities

Hosting and Support Services in Playrooms

Massage Therapy

End-of-Life and Bereavement Follow-up

Follow-up program for cured patients