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MY CLASSMATE HAS CANCER
Feelings, Thoughts, and Concerns
How Can I Help?
Feelings, Thoughts, and Concerns
If someone in your class has cancer, it can be hard to know what
they're going through or how you should act around them. You
might want to talk to them about it, but you're not sure what
to say. Here are some tips that can make it easier for you:
- Kids with cancer may look different than they did before
they had cancer.
Some cancer treatments can cause hair to fall out. Other treatments
can make kids gain or lose weight. These are side effects of cancer
treatments. Remember that you should never, ever make fun of someone
if this happens! Cancer treatments are really hard for kids. Once
the cancer treatments are over, hair grows back, and the other side
effects will stop, too.
- Kids with cancer may get tired quickly. They may not
be able to do some of the things they used to do before getting
cancer or having cancer treatments.
Another common side effect of cancer treatments is that kids can
feel really tired and have less energy than they used to. Kids having
cancer treatments may not be able to play outside during recess
or do physical education activities. They may have to go home and
rest after school. It's hard for kids when they can't
do the things they want to do because they feel too tired. When
the treatments are over, their energy will come back.
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How Can I Help?
Although kids with cancer may look a little different or get tired
more easily, your classmate is still the same person he or she was
before having cancer treatments. They still want to do all of the
things they used to do before having cancer. They want to share
in activities with the other kids in the class. They might want
to talk about what it's like to have cancer, or they might
want to talk about anything else. Here are some things you can do
to be friends with your classmate with cancer:
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Help your friend catch up with schoolwork. Sometimes,
kids with cancer will miss school because of the treatments.
- Invite your friend to be your partner in a class activity,
or offer to play quietly with him or her during recess.
- Talk to your friend about what they're going through.
Ask questions about how they feel or how you can help.
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