Why Playsets? How to Help Families Fight Pediatric Cancer Through Play
At Roc Solid Foundation, we partner with local volunteers and sponsors to build backyard playsets and playhouses for kids with cancer, helping provide families fighting pediatric cancer with safe spaces for outdoor play. While it’s easy to understand that every child needs a space to play and just be a kid, it may not be obvious why these backyard playsets are especially important for kids who are fighting cancer.
Children with cancer receive a variety of medications to fight off cancer cells—many of which fall under the umbrella term, chemotherapy. These medications are often harsh on their young bodies and significantly weaken their immune systems, leaving them with little to no defense against common illnesses and germs found in public spaces.
Even the mildest of illnesses can send a child fighting cancer to the emergency room, so families must limit exposure to germs as much as possible. This often means kids fighting cancer (and sometimes their siblings) can’t go to school, grocery stores, amusement parks… or public playgrounds.
As a result, families facing childhood cancer have very few safe options for their children to play outdoors. One family told us that before receiving their Roc Solid playset, they would go to their neighborhood playground at 6:00 a.m., disinfect the entire structure and let their child play for an hour before other neighborhood kids arrived—all so their child could play and be safe from germs.
If there’s one thing we know, it’s this: every kid deserves to play.
The backyard playsets we build are not just playsets—they are peace of mind. They give parents the reassurance that their child can play safely, without the risk of exposure to germs. They are spaces for kids and their siblings to create joyful memories that aren’t tied to cancer, hospital rooms or feeling sick. They are symbols of hope—and reminders of the community that came together to support them.
Play defeats cancer.
When kids are playing, they aren’t thinking about cancer.
For parents, we provide a safe haven for their children and a sense of hope, knowing they’re not alone in the fight.
For kids, we build playsets and playhouses that—through imagination—become spaceships, restaurants, castles, pirate ships, and battle fortresses. We give them a space to simply be a kid.
We don’t just build backyard playsets for families fighting cancer—we build hope.
Learn more about our play program, sponsor a play project, or make a donation to help us provide playsets and playhouses to more families fighting pediatric cancer.
If you or someone you know is facing pediatric cancer and might be interested in receiving a playset or playhouse, let us know!
