Father’s Day: Children doing it tough when dad has cancer

This Father’s Day, youth cancer charity CanTeen reaches out to young Australians aged 12-24 who have been devastated by their dad’s cancer diagnosis.

Research conducted by CanTeen, in collaboration with Sydney University, revealed that a shocking 61% of young people aged 12-24 years who have a parent with cancer display high or very high levels of psychological distress. This compares to just 9% of young people in the general population.

Every year 15,000 young Australians have a parent diagnosed with cancer, which can have a devastating impact on a young person.

CanTeen’s FREE resource book, Now What…? When your parent’s cancer can’t be cured provides age-appropriate information and advice to help a young person effectively work through feelings of shock, anxiety and anticipatory grief, and adjust to the changes in their life.

In addition to its free peer support and recreation programs, CanTeen also provides a specialised free counselling service for young people who have a parent with cancer, or whose parent has died from cancer. CanTeen’s Offspring Support Program offers face-to-face, telephone and online/email counselling for young people aged 12-24 throughout Australia.

Source: Media Game