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Courtney Settle
Mrs. Harrell
Senior Exploration
07 November 2014
Children Impacted by Cancer
Fear and uncertainty are pretty much ones prevailing feelings when facing cancer, a
serious, life-threatening illness. His or her body is the boss, and one cannot help but believe that
it has turned on them. Children understand the extent of their cancer to a lesser ability then his or
hers parents. They begin to panic, lose all hope, and want to give up. All one can have is hope,
reach down in their fears, pain, and emotions and pull out hope to fight. While cancer can make a
child stronger, it can first impact children differently based on their age and because of this
children become socially withdrawn, hyper emotional, and face many physical struggles.
As a child one never should be concerned with the question is he or she going to live, or
can I make it through my life and enjoy everything I should. Being told a loved one has cancer
will change ones world instantly. Once a child is told you have cancer the first thought that goes
through his or her mind is will I be a survivor, and will I be strong enough to handle the journey.
A lot of patients forget that he or she has a support team and people who will help every second
of the way. Children do not understand the disease he or she has completely, but may be aware
of the implications at a lower level causing them to still become emotionally and socially
withdrawn from friends. Adolescents on the other hand understand the disease he or she has and
may be greatly impacted. Both your family and your child may experience upsetting thoughts
and feelings. Symptoms may be associated with a type of anxiety called post-traumatic stress

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disorder (PTSD) (Guger, D'Agostino, and Abla). Children and adolescents may have flashback
of their treatment and re-experiencing the trauma he or she went through and will cause a deep
depression.
One will become hyper emotional. Feelings are constantly changing and causing one to
over think their situation. As adolescents grow they believe in becoming more independent and
relying on just themselves, when one experiences a life threatening disease this puts a hold on
reaching that maturity level. Not feeling independent will cause one to feel like they are trapped
and will never be able to do anything on their own. Once one is cured from a serious illness they
do not always feel free, they feel as though they cannot return to normal life, because no one
will look as them as normal. One believes that he or she will be looked upon as a fragile piece of
glass waiting to be broken.
When diagnosed at such a young age children have high risk at having problems
occurring later on in their life. According to the article Today, because of advances in treatment,
more than 8 out of 10 children treated for cancer survive at least 5 years, and most of these
children are cured, but due to the treatment one goes through during their disease later effects in
life. (Children Diagnosed With Cancer). Radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery does serious
damage to a childs body. Being so young and immature their body gets damaged and has a
harder time developing normal. Children and adolescents can have serious damage done too
many organs after treatment.
While cancer can make a child stronger, it can first impact children differently based on
their age and because of this children become socially withdrawn, hyper emotional, and face
many physical struggles. Through the tough times one should always remember that he or she is

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no different than any other going through the same disease. That he or she has a support system
and will never be left alone. Each one needs to remember to have hope, stay calm, and fight.

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Works cited
"Children Diagnosed With Cancer: Late Effects of Cancer Treatment." Children Diagnosed With
Cancer: Late Effects of Cancer Treatment. American Cancer Society, 17 Feb. 2014.
Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.cancer.org/treatment/childrenandcancer/whenyourchildhascancer/childrendiagnosed-with-cancer-late-effects-of-cancer-treatment>.

Guger, Sharon, D'Agostino, Norma, and Abla, Oussama. "Social and Emotional Effects." AboutKidsHealth. AboutKidsHealth, 25 Jan. 2010. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/en/resourcecentres/leukemia/lookingaheadforleukemiasu
rvivors/pages/socialandemotionaleffects.aspx>.