Attending School with Cancer
For school-aged children battling cancer, treatment can mean time away from the classroom, and missing out on vital educational and social experiences. Thankfully, there are many organizations and tools that can help your child stay connected and engaged in academics during absences.
Kids who are able to attend school during cancer treatment, or those returning after treatment, can also face unique challenges that may require additional planning and support. Resources are available to help you, your child, and their school prepare for a successful return to the classroom.
Keeping Connections with Friends and Classmates
Children with cancer who have to travel for treatment, stay home for their own health or safety, or miss in-person school for any number of reasons may feel isolated or left out. Maintaining connections with classmates can bring a sense of joy and belonging during a lengthy school absence. These resources can help keep those connections strong.
HopeCam combats social isolation commonly felt by kids with cancer by providing a web cam in the classroom and a computer/tablet at the child’s home. Teachers are provided with lesson plans and instructions on navigating the technology, and students can have contact with their peers while having involvement in classroom activities and educational content.
Monkey In My Chair helps students stay connected with their classmates through a special stuffed animal that symbolizes their presence in the classroom. In addition to providing a stuffed monkey that can “fill in” for an absent child, the organization provides resources to help educators facilitate discussions about cancer with the whole class.
The Keep Kids Connected program provides netbook/tablet computers to children with cancer. Children aged 4-18 years who are in active treatment are eligible to apply.
One-on-one Support for your Student
If your child needs additional individual support during treatment, these organizations provide services that you may find useful.
Joey’s Wings provides one-on-one tutoring services, offering personalized assistance to young learners, allowing them to flourish academically amidst the medical challenges they face.
Project Sunshine’s Teleplay is a live, educational play experience designed to help support children’s mental and physical health. Volunteers meet with children online for developmentally appropriate and enriching games and activities. Children are also able to connect with peers through play.
Transitioning to In-Person Education
If their treatment schedule, general health, and infection risk allow, some kids can attend school while they are undergoing cancer treatment. It is important to work with your child’s cancer care team and school to create a plan for managing side effects like fatigue, mobility limitations, nausea, or pain at school. These tools can help make the transition back to school easier for parents, educators, and kids.
This educational toolkit, created by a collaborative team of organizations, has videos, activities, and more to help parents, educators and children understand the challenges associated with attending school during or after cancer treatment.
This guide for school staff members was created by a school in Australia to help educators understand and educate their students about cancer at age-appropriate levels.
Accessing Classroom Accommodations
Children with cancer may need extra support if they have disabilities related to their illness or treatment. Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and 504 Plans are essential tools that provide students with disabilities or learning challenges with classroom accommodations.
This Short and Sweet IEP Overview is a great resource to help determine what accommodations your child may need.
Not all students will qualify for an IEP, which helps families access special education services. This resource offers a brief overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which can help determine if an accommodation under a 504 plan may be available and right for your child.
Attending college as a cancer survivor
Children who are battling or have survived cancer and aspire to higher education may be eligible for disability accommodations at college. There are also scholarship opportunities that are specifically for pediatric cancer patients.
The National Center for College Students with Disabilities offers informational and practical resources for students preparing to attend any university in the United States.
Founded by two-time cancer survivor Craig Pollard, Cancer for College is dedicated to providing college scholarships, mentoring, educational events and other supports to cancer survivors and current patients attending college.
Contributed by: Arya Patel is a Biology and pre-med major at Case Western Reserve University. She hopes to become a physician specializing in oncology care.