Schools & teachers

Knowing what to say if someone in your school community has been diagnosed with cancer can be tricky. Depending on the age of the students you’re talking to, you may encounter a range of reactions.

Your school’s existing wellbeing and communication guidelines will be a valuable resource, along with these general guidelines for providing thoughtful and effective age-appropriate support:

Young students have a basic understanding of sickness and may worry they could catch it, or they caused it. Most kids at this age believe everything can be related to them, and they may have done something to cause cancer. Others may not be able to empathise with others. Overall, young students may be just starting to realise that people, including parents or grandparents, can die.

Ways to support them:

• Listen to their feelings (expressed through speech or play) and be alert to their needs.
• Talk about cancer using picture books, dolls or stuffed animals.
• Provide brief and simple explanations but use the cancer terminology they may encounter.
• Assure them they have not caused cancer.
• Continue usual discipline and limit-setting.

Talking to kids about cancer in secondary school is a little different, as they begin thinking more like adults and can understand cause and effect. They can appreciate people are fragile and imagine what it might be like to have cancer.

Young people often struggle to put into words what they are thinking or feeling. They are trying to make sense of cancer, and may not reach out for help, or say that they are struggling. Sometimes they withdraw from friends, or behave differently at school, and sometimes they experience signs of depression and anxiety which can lead to social isolation.

Ways to support them:

• Listen to them, don’t talk to them; encourage them to discuss their feelings but understand they may not want to talk or prefer to confide in their friends.
• Encourage them to maintain activities and friendships at school, if possible.
• Allow flexibility and special consideration with schoolwork.
• Treat them with respect as an emerging adult; let them know you are thinking about them but be respectful.
• Provide in-school opportunities for them to learn more about cancer and receive support.

It can come as a shock when there is a student with cancer in your school community. The school can play a key role in supporting the child, their family and other students. It is important to maintain connections throughout the student’s treatment and to prepare for their return to school.

Once a family has informed the school of their child’s cancer diagnosis, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure they’re supported by the school community.

• Take the lead – Offer your support to the family and explain a school liaison person can be appointed so they only have to communicate with one person.
• Ask who can be told – Establish if and how the family would like information about the student’s diagnosis to be shared with teachers and the rest of the school community.
• Respect their wishes – Allow the family time to decide what role they would like the school to play. If at some stage you feel that it would be in the student’s interest to share the diagnosis, discuss your concerns with the family – you may want to contact the student wellbeing coordinator for advice on how to approach this conversation.
• Work out the time frame – Consider how long the student may be away from school and how long their treatment may last. Some students with cancer are in and out of hospital for months, or even years. These students will need support throughout this time, which may involve a change of grade and teacher.
• Get professional help – Offer to link the student and family with school counselling services.

School represents a sense of normalcy and connection for kids. This is disrupted with a cancer diagnosis as it leads to frequent absences.

So, for many students undergoing treatment, being able to maintain regular contact with their classmates is important for their emotional wellbeing.

To help kids with cancer continue to feel part of the community, schools can use tools like email, Skype, or educational portals to keep students engaged academically and socially, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment through their treatment.

When a child or adolescent is diagnosed with cancer, families may face significant emotional and financial strain. One parent may need to stop working to stay with the child in the hospital, leaving siblings with limited parental support.

Regional families face additional challenges, as treatment often requires travel to major cities, separating them from their support network. Schools can support families by connecting them to counselling, adjusting fees, or coordinating practical help like meal rosters or transport.

It’s understandable that parents may feel anxious about how their child will keep up with schoolwork during cancer treatment, and students themselves may worry about falling behind. To support ongoing learning, schools can talk to the student and their family about expectations and how you can help maintain some form of ongoing learning.

When informing students about a classmate’s cancer, parents should be prepared that their children may come home upset or with questions.

Reactions can vary, with some students feeling sad, angry, or confused, while others may seem unaffected – but it doesn’t mean they’re not listening or don’t care.

Encourage students to share their feelings and ask questions. Consider how to respond to sensitive topics like death or whether cancer is contagious. If students are particularly distressed, they may need to speak with a school counsellor or teacher.

Cancer Council Queensland created When Mitzy the Foggle Got Cancer, an animation and printed resource developed with psychologist Joanna Mangan. The story highlights the importance of discussing cancer with children in an age-appropriate, hopeful, and honest way, fostering emotional resilience and open communication. Order your free copy here.

It can also help to provide regular updates on the classmate’s progress to keep the class connected and prepare them for the student’s return.

Schools may also need to offer support to siblings of students with cancer, as their lives can become disrupted throughout the experience.