Kids Care Packages

Hearth Place has developed a tool called the Kids Care package for children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer. Each package is a gift bag filled with art supplies, an activity book for parents to work with their children and a parent’s guide filled with information about the age appropriate needs of the children, answers to common questions and a list of resources available in print, internet and video.  Below are excerpts from each children’s book.

If you are interested in receiving a Kids Care Package, please contact us and we will happily put one together for you to pick up at Hearth Place during our scheduled hours of operation.  These are supplied free of charge.  

Kids Care is a program fully funded and made available by Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre.

All rights are reserved.

Excerpt from Stephen's Story

For Children

One day my mom and dad told me my Mom would have to go the hospital and that she would have to stay overnight. 

I started to cry – I felt like a baby but I couldn’t help it. 

I didn’t want her to go away even for one night. 

Later, my mom tucked me into bed and she said that she would think about me the whole time she was gone and that Dad would take good care of me and that Dennis would stay with me when dad had to go to the hospital to pick her up.   

Excerpt from Maria's Story

For Children Ages 6-12

My mom went into the hospital and she was away overnight.  I didn’t say anything to my dad but I missed mom a lot. I asked my dad if the operation would hurt her.  He said, “When they are doing the operation it doesn’t hurt because she’ll have special medicine that makes her sleep.  She will be sore afterwards and we won’t be able to give her regular hugs for a little while.”  I called her on the phone and told her I hoped she wouldn’t be too sore. I would be careful hugging her when she came home.  She told she loved me and said, “Good night, don’t let the bedbugs bite.”  That was when I really missed her.  

Excerpt from Dennis' Diary

For Adolescents Ages 13-18

Journal Entry

          Mom has had chemotherapy twice now and already she seems tired and worried, which is understandable I guess.  She doesn’t look too bad.  You can tell that Dad’s really stressed out.  He must have asked Mom a million times if he could get anything for her.  He doesn’t really notice much else.  Stephen and Maria had a huge fight over the TV converter and I had to break it up and settle them down.  That was weird considering that a month ago I probably would’ve been fighting with them.  I gave them a lecture about not bugging Mom while she’s sick.  It’s the last thing I want her to worry about.

          Hey, I even made dinner last night to give Mom a break!  Okay, just hotdogs, but the kids seemed to like them, and I could tell Dad was relieved to see that we had finished eating when he brought Mom home from the hospital.

          I did a weird thing tonight.  I went in to say goodnight to Mom, which I haven’t done since I was about ten, and Mom asked me how I was doing.  I thought I was gonna lose it and start bawling but I managed to cover it up.  I don’t want to make her feel bad.