Sibling Perspectives: The Impact of Childhood Cancer and How to Help

June 8, 2023

Insights

Leah's brother Anthony working hard to build for his sister! — **Anthony working hard to build a playset for his sister Leah!**

Supporting the siblings of kids who have cancer is crucial to help them navigate the challenges they face during a difficult and confusing time. Here are some ways we can build hope for these siblings and remind them how awesome they are.

Educate

It is important to help the siblings understand their brother or sister’s diagnosis and treatment process by providing information at their level of understanding. Roc Solid helps Mama and Papa bears explain all that is happening by providing a book for the kiddos titled “Tracy and the Heroes in Blue” at every playset build.

Siblings reading "Tracy and the Heroes in Blue" book together! — **Siblings reading “Tracy and the Heroes in Blue” book together!**

Written by one of Roc Solid’s volunteers and a cancer survivor herself, Janet Dobson, this storyline explains some of the things siblings will see their warrior brother or sister experiencing during their treatment. This book also helps kiddos explain to their friends why their life will look a little bit different while their sibling is in treatment.

Maintain Normalcy

Trying to maintain a sense of normalcy in the child’s life as much as possible is helpful to siblings as their normal life is disrupted by hospital admissions. As much as Mama and Papa bears would love to shield their kiddos from the impact of childhood cancer, maintaining normalcy can be very difficult due to the unpredictable nature of treatment.

**Sailor and her brother playing on their new tablet from their Ready Bag.**

Roc Solid helps equip Mama and Papa bears to preserve normalcy and invaluable family time during treatment by including card games and tablets in Roc Solid Ready Bags that families can play together whether they are in the hospital or at home. This also helps families form positive memories together during a very scary time.

Individual Attention

It’s important to make sure the siblings get the spotlight too. They go through a lot of chaotic and scary moments while their sibling is in treatment, but most of the attention is given to the kiddo who is sick.

Roc Solid makes siblings feel special and celebrated on playset builds as well by awarding siblings with Golden Hammer awards to honor their bravery and sacrifices as their sibling is fighting cancer.

Logan's sister Vanessa is very surprised and excited at his playset reveal! — **Vanessa, Logan’s sister, is surprised and excited at his playset reveal!**

Let kids be kids

Roc Solid playsets are just as much a safe haven for the siblings as they are for the kiddos fighting cancer. Even on days where the kiddo in treatment isn’t feeling well enough to play, their siblings can escape to their playset and enjoy time to just be a kid—without being exposed to any harmful germs they could bring home to their sibling. This gives their Mama and Papa bears peace of mind knowing all their kiddos have a safe place to play no matter how treatment is going.

Even though her sister Aricka, wasn’t feeling ready to play, Aria had a blast testing out their new playset while her sister rested nearby. — **Even though her sister Aricka, wasn’t feeling ready to play, Aria had a blast testing out their new playset while her sister rested**.

When a kiddo is diagnosed with pediatric cancer, the whole family is impacted. At Roc Solid, we are committed to loving and serving the entire family who is fighting childhood cancer. All our Roc Solid kiddos are incredible and we love getting to be a part of their story!

Want to get involved in all that is happening to build hope at Roc Solid? Check out our website or email us at info@rocsolidfoundation.org.