Jayne and a child are pictured wearing long yarn wigs of different colours.

Jayne Kamau, My Friend and Colleague

On March 10, 2019, our beloved child life specialist Jayne Kamau died aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 as she returned home from SIOPAfrica in Cairo. WE C Hope Child Life Director, Morgan Livingstone, reflects on more than a decade of mentoring, friendship and working together to advance child life in Kenya. Co-authored with WE C Hope CEO, Abby White.

A young boy practices giving eye drops to a medical play puppet.

10 Ways to Support Your Child Through EUA for Retinoblastoma

Examinations Under Anaesthetic (EUA) are an essential part of retinoblastoma diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance follow up care. Combining content from our Child Life Resource, Morgan Livingstone CCLS CIMI MA reviews 10 ways parents can support children of all ages through the experience to benefit everyone’s wellbeing.

This image features two pieces of text, above and below an image of a stick family, ranged in order of height from the tall father through mother and various children to the family dog. Above: “When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family is affected.” A gold ribbon sits behind the word “diagnosed”. Below the family: “Please support a local family in your community who has a child battling for their life. Bold for gold! Childhood cancer awareness and hope.”

Talking About Your Child’s Cancer Diagnosis With Family and Friends

Talking about a child’s cancer with family and friends can be deeply cathartic for parents one day, and utterly exhausting the next. Asking for and receiving help can be a minefield too. Morgan Livingstone CCLS explores why this is so, and offers tips and tools to reduce stress, improve coping and boost effective practical support.

Statue of a blind girl sitting on a plinth, leaning against a post in contemplation while reading a book balanced on her knees and one hand.

Father Braille: A Wonderfully Dotty Relationship

For many individuals diagnosed with retinoblastoma, sight-loss means braille is the primary means of reading and writing. In celebration of World Braille Day on Friday January 4th, Rb survivor Ffion Miles introduces us to a very special relationship she has with six tiny dots, and the marvellous adventures they’ve shared together.

a baby plays with an anaesthetic mask

10 Commonly Confused Retinoblastoma Terms, What They Mean and Why Getting Them Right Matters.

Do you know the difference between a biopsy and pathology, or an RB1 gene deletion and Chromosome 13q deletion? Do you know how a retinoma becomes retinoblastoma or when remission becomes cure? In Part 2 of a mini-series, WE C Hope CEO Abby White explains these and other terms, and why using them correctly is important.

A baby has a squint - the right eye is rutned in towards the nose.

8 Commonly Confused Retinoblastoma Terms, What They Mean and Why Getting Them Right Matters.

Do you know the difference between lazy eye and squint, or an ocular oncologist and a paediatric oncologist? Do you know when extraocular Rb becomes metastatic, or why trilateral Rb is neither of these? In Part 1 of a mini-series, WE C Hope CEO Abby White explains these and other terms, and why using them correctly is important.

A young girl squeals in delight and holds out her hands, palms up, to catch the bubbles blown by a woman just right of the camera frame.

How to Support Sensory Development and Engagement In Babies and Young Children

Babies and young children rely on all their senses for learning and development, communication, comfort and coping. Jocelyn Leworthy, RECE, CIMI explores the role our senses play in daily life and development from our earliest days, and how we can encourage fun sensory stimulation to nourish young lives.

a baby plays with an anaesthetic mask

7 Ways Caregivers Can Support Infant Mental Health during Cancer Care.

Infants experience a wide range of emotions, the depths of which are just beginning to be understood. Morgan Livingstone CCLS discusses how the external environment influences infant mental health, and the varied ways parents and medical professionals can help babies cope and thrive through medical interventions.

A diagram showing DePict in the midlle, next to the patient, and all members of the care team who can interact with the system to enhance the child's care. All care is underpinned by child life support.

DePICT the Cancer Care Journey: Overcome Rarity Through Collaborative Research

Brenda Gallie, global leader in retinoblastoma clinical care, research and innovation, discusses an exciting technology promising to improve care during treatment and beyond. DePICTRB supports collaboration among the child’s entire circle of care, gives parents open access to their child’s record, and empowers clinical research.

Quote and text in gold bevelled font below multi-coloured lights on a tree: “Happiness depends upon ourselves” – Aristotle.

12 Ways to be Happier in the New Year

New beginnings, hopes, dreams, possibilities, resolutions. January is an ideal time to explore how we can make our daily lives happier. Our volunteer CEO, Abby White, shares New Year greetings, tips for a happier 2018, and a personal message of change as the New Year begins.