KNOWLEDGE
POWER: CANCER FACTS FOR KIDS
Kids are young,
healthy and strong. So what do kids need to know about cancer?
First, kids need to
know that they can make a difference. If a parent, grandparent,
friend or teacher has cancer, their help and understanding can be
important.
What can kids do to
help? They can participate in fund-raising activities. They can be a
friend to someone who has cancer. And they can learn more about the
disease.
What Is Cancer?
Cancer's not just
one disease -- it's more than 100. There's stomach cancer, skin
cancer, lung cancer and hundreds more. And each one acts, and is
treated, differently.
So, what do those
100-plus diseases have in common? It's the uncontrolled growth of
abnormal -- or unhealthy -- cells, which grow and choke out normal
cells just like weeds in a garden.
Can
I Catch It?
Scientists know
that you can't "catch" cancer from someone who has it. It
doesn't spread like the chicken pox or flu. You can't catch it from
being with a person who has cancer or by drinking from the same
glass as that person.
But then why do
several people in one family sometimes get cancer? Does having
someone in your family who has cancer mean that you also are going
to get cancer? Usually, it doesn't. If you have questions about your
family, don't worry -- talk to a doctor.
What
If Someone In My Family Has Cancer?
These are things
you should know if someone in your family has cancer, according to
the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute.
-
More people
are living with cancer now than ever before, and new ways to
treat cancer are being discovered.
-
Having cancer
doesn't necessarily mean a person will die from it.
-
Nothing you
did or didn't do caused your family member to get cancer.
-
Nothing you
thought or said caused your family member to get cancer.
-
Cancer is not
contagious. You can't catch it from someone else or give it to
anyone else.
-
You or your
parents could not have protected your brother or sister from
getting cancer.
-
If someone in
your family has cancer, that doesn't mean that you or anyone
else in your family also will get it.
-
Nobody can
tell you why your parent or brother or sister is sick, and
you're healthy.
-
The way you
behave cannot change the fact that someone has cancer or that
your family is upset.
-
It is good for
you to continue with school and outside activities.
Can
Cancer Be Cured?
Just because
someone you love has cancer, that doesn't mean he or she is going to
die. Although some people do die from cancer, many do not. In fact,
more people are living with cancer today than ever before.
There are four
main kinds of treatment for cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation
therapy, and biological therapy. These treatments are used to
destroy cancer cells. Depending on what type of cancer people have,
they could have one kind of treatment or a combination of
treatments.
Want to learn more
about cancer treatments?
Learning
More On Your Own
Now you know
something about cancer in general, you may want to know more about a
specific kind of cancer that affects someone you love. If you want
to know more, the National Institute of Health suggests you ask an
adult or doctor questions like these:
-
What kind of
cancer is it?
-
Where is the
cancer?
-
Will my family
member get better?
-
What is the
best kind of treatment for this type of cancer? Will more than
one kind of treatment be used?
-
How do people
feel when they receive this treatment? Does the treatment hurt?
-
How often is
this treatment given? How long will the treatments last?
-
Does the
treatment change how people look, feel, or act? If so, how?
-
How long do
treatments last -- a morning, a week? Can I visit?
-
Where are
treatments given? What is it like? Can I come along?
-
What will
happen to me during these treatments?
-
Can people
receiving this treatment go back to school or work right away?
Is it better for them to stay at home?
-
Can my family
member eat the same foods as everyone else? If not, what special
foods or diets are needed?
-
What can I do
to help?
| 
