Telling my toddler and child I have breast cancer

Hi Wattlebird3​  - you are right, its such a tough topic to discuss with 'little ones' and the information can be geared more around older children.

It still may be helpful to review BCNA resources specifically for parents navigating breast cancer, especially when it comes to supporting their children. 

Talking to Children About Your Diagnosis

This article provides guidance on how to talk to children of different ages about a breast cancer diagnosis. It includes tips on how to reassure them, explain the illness in age-appropriate ways, and recognise signs of distress in children. Read the article here

I also wanted to share some other excellent Australian support services and resources that may be helpful:

Mummy's Wish

Mummy’s Wish is a wonderful Australian charity that provides practical and emotional support to mothers diagnosed with cancer who have children under the age of 13. They offer many different support and resources, several examples below:

• Voice-recordable Comfort Bears for children to hear mum voice
• Financial assistance for essentials like cleaning, groceries, and fuel
• Counselling and emotional support to help navigate the emotional toll
• Peer support groups

Cancer Council – Talking to Kids About Cancer
A comprehensive guide with practical advice on explaining cancer to children of different ages, including preschool-aged children, and supporting them through treatment and recovery.

Cancer Hub
A free service delivered by Canteen, Camp Quality and Redkite that helps families with children aged 0–25 years access counselling, practical support, information and family-focused services.

Hopefully the above provides something useful to support you during this time. Our Helpline team on 1800 500 258 is always available to tell you more about the above resources.