Child life helps families cope with retinoblastoma care, reducing trauma, and building hope. Yet access remains limited worldwide. March is Child Life Month and the birthday of our beloved Rati, whose brief life inspired World Eye Cancer Hope. From her care in Canada to Kenya, One Rb World and beyond, WE C Hope CEO, Abby White, explores how child life became central to our mission.
Siblings of children with retinoblastoma often experience big fears, worries and emotions when their brother or sister is first diagnosed, during treatment, and beyond. Early Years Educator and Child Life Intern Keanna Gordon explores childhood eye cancer from the sibling’s perspective, and how parents can best support their wellbeing.
Child life can profoundly impact a child’s experience of retinoblastoma, and their quality of life. However, many children treated at specialist retinoblastoma centres lack child life support, and their parents feel unsupported, compared with other cancer patients. Abby White explores the challenges and ways to overcome them.
Eye cancer is a potentially overwhelming experience for young children, whether patient or sibling. Child life can radically improve care and life for the entire family, but too many children lack access to this specialist support. Abby White shares how WE C Hope supported Child Life programs are helping to change that.
