Support for Children: If a Parent Has an Incurable Illness
When a parent is terminally ill, children of all ages need support. Holding everything together for a young family during the uncertainty of a life-limiting illness is an almost impossible task. But you don't have to do it alone, and you can't do it perfectly.
With time, hopefully you will see that your children are inspirational. Young people are naturally resilient and resourceful, because they don't process information in the same way as adults. It can be easier than you might think to share facts and information with them, in age appropriate language, during anticipatory grief and bereavement.
Although we can't tell you that it will be easy, because protecting your children from harm is an ongoing mission without a guidebook. We've seen that loving them is enough to keep them safe and can help them, even in the very worst of situations. But there are no guarantees in life, you know that already.
Below are the charities, resources and practical tools we found helpful while living alongside terminal illness. We hope they also help your family.