Starting The Little C Club has been an adventure like no other, based on a new friendship and a mutual desire to make a difference, we have started building something pretty amazing. A way for families to break down barriers and an opportunity for us to open doors.
A diagnosis of secondary breast cancer brings with it a multitude of fears but as parents one of our biggest concerns was, what will this mean for our children. The Little C Club has given us the opportunity not only to build a legacy for our own children, but also a chance to contribute to changing the dialogue.
Many of us have grown up in a world where the very word cancer causes a so many emotions, fear being one of the most prominent, and of course cancer is scary, we in no way want to belittle that notion, but at the same time, as treatments have advanced over the years many people are now living longer and even thriving in the face of advanced stages of disease.
With statistics now set at 1 in 2 people experiencing a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime its so important that we are able to normalise conversations about cancer, so that future generations have the confidence to act on signs and symptoms and not feel scared to approach health care providers.
The flash cards have a strong focus on emotional wellbeing with cards that focus on kindness, feelings, and the 'YOU' card, which we felt should be a particularly important part of the conversation. Its really easy to get swept up in treatment, planning appointments and trying to keep on top of everything, sometimes we don't realise that our children are witnessing everything, they are hearing words they don't understand and seeing changes in our appearance, emotional states and physical abilities, wondering whats happening, the 'YOU' card helps children understand that even if their parents seem busy and preoccupied that they are still very important, their feelings matter and the changes they see are in no way their fault. With bright colours, bitesize information and an activity promoting self affirmations the card is a great way to help children understand just how important they are as their loved one navigates treatment.
