Five Ideas to Help Cancer Patients Cope During Hospital Stays
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, they begin a long journey of extended hospital stays and medical procedures. Coping with their cancer diagnosis is one of many challenges they must navigate. It can feel overwhelming when trying to figure out how to best support a child especially while they are hospitalized.
Here are five ideas to support childhood cancer patients' emotional and mental wellbeing during their hospital stay.
5 Ideas to Help Pediatric Cancer Patients Cope
1. Bring items and experiences from kids' everyday lives
Bringing experiences that are familiar to kids’ home lives can give them a sense of structure and security. Items such as children's favorite toys or video games can remind them of their everyday lives.
2. Let kids play!
Play can help patients cope by giving them an outlet to process their emotions. Play is an important experience that is normal to children's everyday lives and helps normalize the hospital setting and ease emotions like anxiety. Children can play with others in the hospital playroom with toys or a gaming station.
3. Give kids opportunities to choose
Children are empowered when they can make choices such as which activity or toy they want to play with. This gives them a sense of control in an environment in which they do not have many choices.
4. Provide outlets to manage pain
Positive distractions can help kids find relief from physical pain and emotional distress. For example, video games, movies, or arts and crafts can simultaneously entertain and distract.
5. Help kids build meaningful relationships
Pediatric cancer patients can feel less lonely when they socialize with peers or hospital staff. Connecting with others can combat feelings of loneliness. Seek opportunities for kids to do this, whether in the playroom or at hospital events.
Childhood cancer patient Grace shares what helped her cope during hospitalization.
Five Ways Starlight Programs Help Kids Cope
Starlight programs support childhood cancer patients’ emotional and mental wellbeing. Offered free-of-charge to kids across the nation, Starlight programs support childhood cancer patients to help them cope during their hospital stay. Read how:
1. Starlight programs normalize the hospital experience
As kids play with beloved toys such as Lego or video games on the Starlight Nintendo Gaming Station, their anxiety is eased as they are reminded of items from their everyday life.
2. Starlight programs are play-powered
The power of play is integral to Starlight programs. Not only can kids play through Starlight Toys or Gaming, but they can also immerse themselves in interactive experiences through Starlight Virtual Reality or go on a joyride through the hospital in a Starlight Hero Wagon.
3. Starlight programs empower kids with choices
When kids can choose which colorful Starlight Hospital Gown to wear, it gives them an opportunity to find a sense of control. Kids can also express themselves when they choose among multitudes of designs with familiar characters!
4. Starlight programs provide pain relief
Starlight programs offer kids positive distraction through Starlight Gaming and Virtual Reality. By replacing pain with fun, childhood cancer patients can manage their pain while in the hospital.
When kids ride in the Starlight Hero Wagons and explore the hospital, they can bond with hospital staff or peers they see along the way. Starlight Toy Deliveries and Gaming give kids an opportunity to bond with peers or hospital staff in their hospital room or playrooms!
Navigating the challenges of childhood cancer can be a daunting journey. With positive experiences nurtured by staff and community supporters like you, pediatric cancer patients can find hope and inner strength.
Donate to Starlight today to uplift pediatric cancer patients.
