CCBD: Programs

A Day for Me Sibling Program

The CCBD hosts a four-hour program for brothers and sisters, ages 6-16, of oncology patients. Siblings tour the clinic treatment room and laboratory, receive information about cancer, participate in small group activities, complete activity book pages, view and discuss a video and participate in medical play. With the CCBD - developed book, A Day for Me: A Book for Children Who have a Brother or Sister with Cancer, support continues by facilitating parent-child discussion and provide workbook pages to help siblings express their own emotions and questions about having a brother or sister with cancer. Child life specialists, social workers and pediatric oncology nurses facilitate this program.

Oncology Family Retreat

To provide family-centered care, the CCBD facilitates a weekend retreat for oncology patient families at Camp John Marc every October. The retreat addresses the emotional needs of parents, patients and siblings, as well as physical and medical aspects. The program allows families to develop relationships with others who share common treatment plans, experiences and feelings and develop better coping strategies while providing education and psychosocial support for the entire family. By participating in recreational activities, families spend time together and have opportunities to know other families in similar circumstances.

School Re-Entry Program

The school re-entry program aims to educate a patient's classmates prior to the patient's return to school. Through the program, a child life specialist and sometimes a nurse from the appropriate clinical area visit the class of a child who has been absent from school for a long period of time due to illness, but who will now be returning to the classroom. These staff members work with classmates to prepare them for the patient's re-entry into the school setting as they meet with students to help increase awareness about childhood cancer and the physical changes caused by treatment of the disease. These visits help classmates better understand side effects of chemotherapy medications such as hair loss, weight gain, fatigue, nausea, and answer many questions peers may have about the disease but are uncomfortable discussing with the patient.

Teen Support Group

A teen support group is for patients age 12 to 18 treated for cancer in the CCBD. Facilitated by child life specialists, the group meets monthly for peer support and activities.

Music Therapy

In the CCBD, a professionally trained music therapist uses a variety of musical experiences such as songwriting, playing instruments, singing and listening to music to help patients and their families cope with hospitalization and improve patients’ physical, psychological and emotional health. Services include individual, group and sibling music therapy.