When Your Adopted Child Has Cancer
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Adoption itself can be daunting. Sometimes, without the typical 9 months to prepare to parent, one goes from being a carefree, self-focused individual to being caregiver, parent, counselor, friend, spiritual advisor, teacher, and more to a completely dependent little person. Although we dream of the day it happens, we’re often blindsided by all that it takes to parent. So for those who adopt a child that has cancer, multiply those feelings by the hundreds. Thankfully, there are resources to help. Listed below are organizations dedicated to helping parents, families, and other loved ones best care for their child with cancer.
1. ALEX’S LEMONADE STAND FOUNDATION is dedicated to curing cancer in children, “one cup at a time.” As part of their mission, they encourage others to raise money as they are doing with the purpose of giving to cancer research to find new treatments and cures. The organization raises money through fun runs, food tastings, and even through partnering with other organizations. Additionally, they sell T-Shirts and other items. Since their inception in 2005 they have raised over $100 million.
2. The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) not only raises funds to support research, but also provides help for families with children fighting cancer. This is done on a local level through the organization’s various chapters. Additionally, the organization and its local groups provide opportunities for the children and their families to experience happy moments through camps and other activities.
3. CancerCare is an organization that provides counseling, education, financial assistance, and information on local, online, and telephone support groups. Although not specifically geared toward children with cancer, they do have specialists who focus on the young.
4. The Child Leukemia Foundation is dedicated to raising awareness through education and support programs. They focus on improving self-esteem, empowering young cancer victims with hope, and improving health awareness. Additionally, they work with groups who provide wigs for children losing their hair, wish baskets to encourage children, and a hope binder.
5. HopeCam focuses on helping children connect with their peers in their classrooms via internet, web cameras, and laptop computers while the children are absent from class. They believe that children should not be socially isolated while undergoing treatment and fighting for their lives.
More information about these and other organizations who are dedicated to helping children and their families through the trials of cancer can be found online at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website.
