My Mother Has Breast Cancer

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2007

Support for Children, Families and Caregivers  

| Articles  |  Books  |  Web Sites  |  Videos  |  
Online Support

Online Articles

Childrens' Reactions to Breast Cancer
http://www.pediatrics.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/childrens.html
Jane Brazy, MD and Mary Ircink, RN

Breast Cancer Patients Need Help In Discussing Diagnosis With Their Children 
Qualitative interview study of communication between parents and children about maternal breast cancer 
Western Journal of Medicine
 

How, When & What to Tell the Children
http://breastcancer.about.com/library/weekly/aa082900a.htm
Margaret Chiffriller

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Videos

Teens Talk about Breast Cancer
It can be ordered from: Adelphi Breast Cancer Program, Adelphi School of Social Work, Garden City, NY 11530.

How You Can Help Your Child Dealing With Your Cancer
Dr. Wendy Harpham (1993) Jewish General Hospital, Montreal
Videocassette 1 hour, 52 min.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Web Sites

Breast Cancer: Common Reactions of Children and How to Help
http://www.pediatrics.wisc.edu/childrenshosp/childrens.html

For Teens & Kids
For Teens & Kids - Resources from Gillette Women's Cancer Connection

http://www.kidscope.org

http://www.children-cancer.com

http://www.cancerkids.org

http://www.abouthealth.com/Breast_Cancer/op_tell_children.cfm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Books

Breast Cancer: A Family Survival Guide
Lucille M. Pederson & Janet M. Trigg
Paperback, 282pp ISBN: 0897894383
Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group inc., 1995


When a Parent Has Cancer – “A Guide to Caring for Your Children”
Wendy Schlessel Harpham, MD
Includes a book called “Becky and the Worry Cup” for children to read by themselves.  ISBN: 0-06-018709-3 

When a Parent is Sick-Helping Parents Explain Serious Illness to Children
Joan Hamilton, Nova Scotia: Queen Elizabeth II, 1996. 97p
ISBN: 0-968001408

Kids Talk – Kids Speak Out About Breast Cancer
(Available through the Susan Komen Foundation)
Numeroff, Laura; Harpham, Wendy S.; McPhail -- [New York]
Samsung Telecommunications America Sprint PCS, c1999.

Michael’s Mommy Has Breast Cancer
Lisa Torrey & Barbara W. Watler (Illustrator)
Paperback, 40pp ISBN: 0964776367
Publisher: Hibiscus Press, 1999
Recommended Age Range: 5 to 10 

Straight Talk About Breast Cancer: From Diagnosis to Recovery: A Guide for the Entire Family
Suzanne W. Braddock, John J. Edney, Jane M. Kercher, Melanie Morrissey Clark Paperback Addicus Books, 1998 

Coping with Breast Cancer: A Guide to Living with Breast Cancer for You and Your Family
Robert H. Phillips, Paula Goldstein
Paperback
Publisher: Avery Publishing Group, Inc., 1998

Breast Cancer-Its Impact on the Patient, Family, and Community: Proceedings of the San Francisco Cancer Symposium, 11th, San Francisco, California, November, 1975
Special Handling.Jerome M. Vaeth, J. M. Vaeth (Editor)
Hardcover S. Karger AG, 1976

Close to the Heart: A Family’s Encounter with Breast Cancer
Barry D. Teater
Paperback
Marblehead Publishing, 1998

Moms Don’t Get Sick
Pat Brack and Ben Brack
106p Melius Publishing Company, 1990
ISBN: 0-937603-7-4
Valuable for families and young readers.

Someone I Love has Cancer
Catherine McCormick Donald
Excellent book for school-age children. To order: Catherine McCormick Donald Foundation
P.O. Box 51, Fredmir, WI 53021

Afraid to Ask: A book for families to share about cancer
Judy Laine Fine
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 1986
For Adolescent readers.

Cancer, A New True Books
Dennis B. Fradin (1988)
Children’s Press, 1988
Written for young readers

When a Parent is Very Sick
Eda LeShan (1986) The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1986
For school aged readers.

My Mommy has Cancer
Carolyn S. Parkinson (1991) Park Press, 1991
Written for young readers

Coping When a Parent has Cancer
Linda Leopold Strauss Rosen Publishing Co., 1988
Excellent book for teenagers

Cancer, the Whispered Word
Judy Harris Swenson & Roxane Brown Kung (1986)
For school-age children

Dancing Through the Shadows
Theresa Tomlinson DK Publishing, 1997 ISBN: 0789424592
Excellent for teenagers

Becky and the Worry Cup
Wendy S. Harpham, Jonas Kulikauskas (1997)
ISBN: 0-06-095211-3 

Dragon Dans Le Coeur
Sophie LeBlanc
Publications MNH Inc. (1997)
39p
ISBN: 2-921912-13-9

Dragon in My Heart
Sophie LeBlanc
Publications MNH Inc. (1997)
ISBN: 2-921912-13-9

How to Help Children Through a Parent’s Serious Illness
Kathleen McCue, Ron Bonn
St. Martin’s Press (1994)
221p
ISBN: 0-312-11350-1

I Have Cancer
Althea Braithwaite
24p
Dinosaur Publications (1989)
ISBN: 0-851-22770-8

I Have Feelings: a workbook for children of cancer patients
Diana L. Walker
22p Cancer Family Care, Cincinnati (1989)

Invincible Summer
Jean Ferris
167p
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (1987)
ISBN: 0-374-33642-3

Kemo Shark: Our hero, fearless, tireless in his fight against cancer
Elizabeth H. King, Diane Williford Steele
14p Kidscope (1995)
ISBN: None given

Making Cancer Less Painful: a handbook for parents
Patrick J. McGrath
62p, 1992
This book was produced by the Oncology Unit of the Izaak Walton Killam Children’s Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Mommies Don’t Get Sick
Marilyn Hafner
25p
Candlewick Press, 1995
ISBN: 1-56402-287-0

Mommy’s in the Hospital Again
Carolyn Stearns Parkinson; Elaine Verstraete
36p
Solace Publishing, 1994
ISBN: 0-96300287-15

Our Family Has Cancer, Too! 
Christine Clifford, Jack Lindstrom
61p
Pfeifer-Hamilton Publishers, 1998
ISBN: 1-57025-144-4

Time for me: an activity book for kids when someone in the family has cancer
June Slakov; Sandra Rotnolc, Karen Janes
63p
BC Cancer Agency, c1999
ISBN: 1-896624-02-2

Vanishing Cookies: doing ok when a parent has cancer 
Michelle B. Goodman
Benjamin Family Foundation, 1990
31p
ISBN: 0-9694724-0-4

When Eric’s Mom Fought Cancer
Judith Vigna
28p
Whitman, 1993
ISBN: 0-8075-88883-0


Why, Charlie Brown, why?: a story about what happens when a friend is very ill
Charles M. Schulz
Topper Books, 1990
Developed in cooperation with the American Cancer Society
ISBN: 0-88687-600-1

Why Did Daddy Die? – helping children cope with the loss of a parent
Linda Alderman

Wild Cells: a biology manual
Canadian Cancer Society, 1980

Sharing – Telling Your Family
Bristol Myers Squib

Once Upon A Hopeful Night
by Risa Yaffe; Oncology
Nursing Press 1998.
This book does a wonderful job of helping a parent with cancer explain what is happening to their child. It provides a guide to open communication with their child about the sensitive subject.


Paper Chain
by C. Blake, E. Blanchard and K. Parkinson; Health Press 1998. 
ISBN 0929173287
The illustrated storybook for children provides a general understanding of breast cancer for younger children. The book uncovers the children's feelings of fear and separation as their mother faces surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Will I Get Breast Cancer? Questions and Answers for Teenage Girls
by Carole Vogel; Silver
Burdett Press 1995.
ISBN 0671880470
Written for adolescent girls, this book answers questions on breast health and breast cancer. It also offers practical guidance and comfort to teenagers whose mothers are undergoing breast cancer treatment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Support

Caring Kids
A discussion list for kids (18 and under) who have family members or friends with life-threatening or debilitating disease. This list is a place for kids to talk to kids about their feelings and frustrations and give one another encouragement and support.

Adults will not be permitted to participate on this list, as its purpose is to provide kids with their own safe place to share. However, if you have any questions or concerns requiring the response of an adult, you may e-mail the listowner for assistance.

To subscribe, send email to listserv@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
and in the body of the message, put subscribe caringkids.