Getting Help
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The organisations below concentrate on supporting a child when a parent has cancer. There are other organisations that can help when a parent is seriously ill with other conditions, for example MS, MND or AIDS. Similarly, all children's hospices now offer services to the siblings of children in their care. They should be able to offer helpful resources, or contact the Association of Children's Hospices on 0117 989 7820.
Helplines
ChildLine
www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in the UK. Children and young people can talk to counsellors about any problem.
Helpline: 0800 1111. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
RD4U
www.rd4u.org.uk
RD4U is a website designed for young people by young people. It is part of Cruse Bereavement Care's Youth Involvement Project and is here to support people after the death of someone close. RD4U means the 'road for you' – finding the right road for you to deal with your loss.
Helpline: 0808 808 1677. Open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm
Email: info@rd4u.org.uk
Get Connected
www.getconnected.org.uk
Provides a free, confidential helpline that gives young people in difficult situations the support and information they need to decide what they want to happen next. It could be anything from a listening ear to somewhere safe to stay for the night.
Helpline: 0808 808 4994. Open 7 days a week, 1pm to 11pm
E-mail: help@getconnected.org.uk
Macmillan Youth Line
www.macmillan.org.uk
Macmillan supports young people (aged 12 to 21) who are affected by cancer – either that of a family member or if they are ill themselves.
Helpline: 0808 808 0800. Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 10pm
E-mail: youthline@macmillan.org.uk
Websites
Macmillan Cancer Support
www.macmillan.org.uk/whybother/index.html
Why bother finding out more about cancer? Because over one million people in the UK have been diagnosed with cancer, so a lot of children and young people will know someone affected by it.
Riprap
www.riprap.org.uk
This website can help children and young people cope when a parent has cancer. There are stories from other young people going through the same situations. The website has information and tips to help children understand and deal with what is going on in their family.
Siblinks
www.siblinks.org
The aim is to provide a network for young people (aged 13 to 25) who have or have had a family member affected by cancer to gain support through social, practical and emotional activities and provide information to raise awareness.
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