Talking to kids about cancer is not an easy thing, and both times cancer has struck my family (my father and my sister-in-law), I struggled with how to maintain a balance between truth and too-much-truth. And, unfortunately, I'm not alone in my struggles as I don't know a single family who hasn't been touched by cancer in one way or another.
To help parents deal with such a difficult and often emotionally charged subject, PBS will be airing a new episode of Arthur called The Great MacGrady on Monday, October 19. In the show, Mrs. MacGrady, the school cafeteria lunch lady, is diagnosed with cancer, and Arthur and his friends all deal with the news in different ways.
There will be a free advance screening of Arthur's The Great MacGrady this Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 2pm at WGBH's Yawkey Theatre in Brighton (One Guest Street). Following the half-hour show will be an hour-long panel discussion and Q&A called “When a Child Knows Someone With Cancer: Helping Young Children Cope with the Cancer Diagnosis of a Loved One”.
Those interested in attending must RSVP to wgbh.org/arthurscreening and the event is only open to guests over the age of 16.
great info!!!
thank you!!
thanks for the follow! since you do not have google friend connect, i suscrbied through google reader!
Posted by: shraddha | October 21, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Great info - thank you! They were discussing this recently on the Today show but I wish the segment had been longer. They just stressed the importance of telling your children the truth no matter how unpretty. I wish they had talked more about how to do that and in ways that they might understand without being frightened. As you say, this will likely effect every family at some point.
Posted by: Joeypouch | October 22, 2009 at 11:09 AM
very good posting
Posted by: Cancer Diseases | November 07, 2009 at 01:40 PM