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Psychosocial Strains
Last update on: 02/19/2009
From the perspective of a young survivor
"Many former children's cancer patients suffer for a long, short or lifelong time from side effects. These can be very varified. We want to know that we are being taken care of well medically, even years after the affection. Furthermore, we want the same chances, possibilities and rights as our peers. How do we want to be perceived? As normal as possible, with as much consideration as is needed."
Dorothee Schmid
Psychologist,
co-contributor to mentor programmes for former children's cancer patients, co-organiser of leisure programmes for children suffering from cancer between 7 and 15 years of age.
At 15 she was affected by a dysgerminoma (=malignant ovarian tumour), at 26 with melanoma (skin cancer). Cured as of 2000.
Presentation of Dorothee Schmid entitled "Follow-up and aftercare from a patient's point of view", held during the OVERCOMING CANCER WITH RESEARCH expert symposium on May 2008 in Vienna, Austria
Already during their stay at the hospital, sometimes over a time period of several months, the young patients experience a painful isolation from their habitual surrounding. Treatment consequences tend to not only be physical disabilities such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, bloatedness of the face and pains, but also the loss of social contacts and friendships.
The illness-related experience of parting, pains and the suffering can change the emotional development of the children. The heavy physical affection limits patients on all levels of development.
Even years after the disease the young affected still live with the uncertainty of possibly longterm consequences and with the fear of relapse.
Cancer very often remains, even if it dates back a long time, an integral part of these young people's lives.
A wrong image within society and discrimination
inhibits former children's cancer patients very frequently on their way back to a normal life. The unlimited access to education, jobs and additional insurance and life insurance, are not self-evident for former children's cancer patients.
After their triumph over this grave disease the young people are still being treated as diseased during social contacts at school, university or job searches
The primary reasons for exclusion
Society does not deem former children's cancer patients, meanwhile adults, capable of anything. They get to feel the toughness of daily routine twice as hard: they loose friends, because they were gone for too long and loose continuity in school due to the long hospital stays.
Potential employers
very often prefer healthy applicants as opposed to those who suffered from cancer during childhood.
Insurance companies
automatically categorise former children's cancer patient's health at a higher risk.
Info Materials
Read more about „Psycho-Social Effects of Childhood Cancer“
Narratives & Stories of young people affected
Cancer in young adults through parents' eyes
Teenage cancer This is a website about young people's real life experiences of health and lifestyle. This is not just a website about the medical facts, this is about real people and real lives.
Childhood cancer: late effects of cancer treatment
Childhood cancer survivor groups
Childhood Cancer Survivors is a practical guide. More than 25 experts in pediatric oncology (survivors, parents, pediatric oncologists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, lawyers, educators) reviewed and helped update the text.
