Each year, approximately 1200 children in Poland are diagnosed with cancer. According to Lazarski University Healthcare Management Institute research, this condition disrupts current family life, contributes to social exclusion and exclusion from work, and increases the likelihood of anxiety and depression. Parents of child patients require professional support at least for the period of illness, but this is not sufficiently provided. Most child oncology wards have a psychologist, but usually this person works on more than one pediatric ward. In effect, therefore, they first devote their time to children, and parents rarely have an opportunity to get advice themselves.
The aim of this project is to provide psychological support and information, and counteract exclusion by creating the Oncoguide, which consists of expert content enabling self-help activities.
We chose the topics for the guide based on our experience in psychotherapy with parents on hospital wards. We will also conduct 50 interviews with parents of child patients, and adjust/confirm the selections we made on that basis. We will invite a group of 12 parents of child patients to work with us directly to produce the Oncoguide. They will describe their experiences and needs, to help other parents.
12 videos with subtitles and podcasts will be made and posted on an open YouTube channel and streaming platforms, and this will be a permanent and unique information source. This will help to disseminate information on methods of dealing with crises and problems when a child has a tumor, and to reduce the stress felt in that situation, and the sense of social exclusion.
In addition to experts, 50 parents of child patients will contribute to producing the guide, during and upon completion of oncology treatment.