Post-treatment support
We truly understand the conflicting emotions parents feel when their child’s treatment ends. It can be an overwhelming, isolating time full of worries and uncertainties. Our Family Support team have lived experience of this, and we want you to know you are not alone and we are here to support you.
We are currently in the process of developing our post-treatment support offer, which we recognise as an area of unmet need. We are passionate about the importance of ongoing support post-treatment and are proud to begin planning for this. We are actively engaged with parents in our network who are in the post-treatment phase, to help us identify the needs of this community and develop our work in this area.
As part of this, we have recently launched a carefully designed pilot phase Coaching Programme in partnership with Life After Cancer, specifically with oncology parents in mind. The aim of the Programme is to increase a parent's physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing and fulfil their potential after their child’s diagnosis, reducing the risk of mental distress.
Topics of the coaching programme
- Transitioning from hospital to home
- Identity and wellbeing
- Fear of relapse
- Managing emotions
- Late effects
- Work and purpose
- Moving forward
To help inform the future Coaching Programme for a wider audience, we evaluated the pilot phrase and the results and feedback were incredibly positive:
Pilot coaching programme feedback
100%
of participants feel they are better at managing their mental wellbeing as a result of attending the programme.
80%
of participants identified the gaps between where they are and where they would like to be as a result of attending the programme.
100%
of participants said they would recommend this programme to someone who has experienced childhood cancer.
Here's Helen talking about her experience of the coaching programme following the end of her son Michael's treatment.
If you are looking for support following your child finishing treatment for neuroblastoma, please reach out to support@solvingkidscancer.org.uk for an informal chat in the first instance.
This pilot Coaching Programme has been made possible thanks to a grant from TNL Community Fund.
"Doing this workshop meant I could meet other parents and explore my own identify after being a mum of a child who had cancer for two years. We spoke about things like fear of relapse and finding purpose and it made me feel much less alone. It's amazing that Solving Kids' Cancer UK continue to support parents and recognise that ending treatment is a really difficult time and not the "relief" that many think it is."
Resources on post-treatment
Patient information video
This animation has been developed as part of the SIOPEN High-risk Neuroblastoma 2 trial to help parents and patients understand what to expect after treatment finishes.
Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium
Our virtual educational symposium is an opportunity for parents to learn and engage directly with the scientific community on a range of topics including latest research and psychosocial support, including post-treatment support. Explore the relevant videos from the past three instalments of the Neuroblastoma Parent Global Symposium.