How CanTeen helps family left behind by cancer deaths

YOUNG people can feel isolated when living with a family member who has cancer and are often forgotten by the health system, a support group says.

YOUNG people can feel isolated when living with a family member who has cancer and are often forgotten by the health system, support group CanTeen says.

Dr Pandora Patterson from CanTeen said the paediatric and adult health system was not geared to refer young people to services such as CanTeen and young people’s reluctance to seek help made it difficult.

“Often these young people want to be a source of strength and support for their parents and don’t talk about or show their distress, because they don’t want to create what they consider to be an extra burden,’’ Dr Patterson said.

Sisters Emily and Katie Costello lost their mum in 2006 and grandmother in 2013 to cancer but say joining CanTeen helped them move forward with their lives. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Each year around 1800 young people in SA around are faced with a parent’s cancer experience and are six times more likely than their peers to face mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Dr Patterson said contact with CanTeen gave young people access to face-to-face or online counselling, camps, recreation programs and access to an online community support made up of young people

“After just six months of support from CanTeen, almost two thirds of young people affected by cancer report improvements in their mental health and overall wellbeing,’’ she said.

Emily, Katie and Patrick Costello linked up with CanTeen at their grandmother's urging in 2013 after losing their mother, Leanne, 39, to cancer in 2006.

Sadly their grandmother, Lorrain Beck, also died from cancer that year. Emily said CanTeen provided excellent help.

“I’d never been with people who were in similar situations as me. At school it was always a very sensitive topic,’’ she said.

The sisters are now both involved in CanTeen leadership roles helping others and, as a family, are still supported themselves.

Originally published as How CanTeen helps family left behind by cancer deaths