Finished Treatment
Introduction
When your child finishes cancer treatment, it’s often seen as the finish line, a moment everyone expects to be filled with relief, joy, and celebration – time to return to ‘normal’. And while there are certainly moments of joy and deep gratitude, many parents find that the end of treatment brings a wave of unexpected emotions, including worry, exhaustion, fear or recurrence and uncertainty on how to move forward.
You’ve just been through an intense and traumatic experience. After months, or even years, of living in survival mode, the structure and support of hospital has now lessened, leaving you to navigate this new and uncertain phase.
You are not alone in feeling this way. This page is about giving you permission to pause, to acknowledge what you’ve been through, and to take small steps toward healing and the next chapter.
Looking after yourself
It can be so hard to turn your attention inward, especially after months or years of putting everyone else first. But your wellbeing matters. It’s not selfish and it’s not a luxury – it’s essential.
Parent Peer Support
Our Parent Peer Support Programme connects you with another parent who truly understands what you’re going through, because they’ve been there too. Talking to someone who has walked a similar path can offer real comfort. Your peer supporter is here to listen without judgment, share their lived experience, and guide you toward helpful resources when you’re ready.
One-to-one psychological support
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or simply in need of someone to talk to, one-to-one psychological support (counselling) is also available, offering a confidential, compassionate space for parents to explore their emotions and begin to make sense of life after treatment.
Parent Connect & Learn Events
We believe that when parents are supported, the whole family benefits. Our Connect and Learn Parent Workshops bring parents together, connecting you with others who understand, as well as learn from experts. These events are designed with parents in mind, especially those whose child is nearing the end of treatment or has already finished treatment, whether recently or years ago.
Support for children, young people and siblings
Emotional support
The emotional impact of childhood or adolescent cancer doesn’t end when treatment does. Childhood Cancer Ireland offers play therapy for children and psychotherapy (talk therapy) for teenagers. These supports are available to children and young people who have had a diagnosis and to siblings.
New support: Life After Childhood Cancer Treatment
Childhood Cancer Ireland brings you a new family support programme called Life After Childhood Cancer Treatment.
From managing fatigue and emotional wellbeing to navigating school, friendships and follow-up care, life after childhood cancer treatment can raise new questions, challenges and worries for the whole family.
This is the first initiative of its kind in Ireland, created specifically to support families in the months and years after treatment ends.
The programme covers common challenges you may face, such as changes in energy levels (fatigue), difficulties with concentration or learning and the emotional impact of treatment.
Long-term and late effects
Types of long-term and late effects
While many side effects go away once treatment has ended, longer-term side effects, such as cancer-related fatigue, may take some time to go away. Other side effects, called late effects, may not occur until months, or even years, after treatment.
Whether or not your child may have late effects of treatment depends on the type of cancer your child had and how it was treated, as well as personal factors, such as:
- Cancer/tumour-related factors, such as the type of cancer/tumour and where it was in the body.
- Treatment-related factors, such as the type and amount of treatment and/or surgery. Some types of cancer/tumours may require therapy to control or prevent spread of the disease to the brain and spine e.g. radiotherapy and/or intrathecal chemotherapy.
- Patient-related factors, such as the child’s age at diagnosis, length of time since diagnosis/treatment, personal and family health history and health habits.
Late effects may be physical, emotional, or cognitive. Some parents want to know what symptoms to look out for, should any arise, while others may find this overwhelming. Not all children and young people will experience long term or late effects.
You can always talk to your doctor about your child’s recovery and any concerns that you may have. If it is helpful, here is some information on potential late effects.
Possible physical late effects
Physical late effects may affect your child’s growth and development. They may remain under the care of an endocrinologist to monitor growth.
Possible emotional late effects
Emotional late effects include changes to your child’s mood, feelings, and behaviour. It can be equally challenging for you and your child so please do reach out for support.
Possible cognitive late effects
Some therapies can have a long-term impact on processing speed, memory and learning. Again, the likelihood of these effects depends on the age of your child during treatment and the type and duration of treatment.
Plain-language summaries of common late effects
PanCare, is a pan‐European network of professionals, survivors and their families which works with the European Community to increase awareness and research about childhood cancer survivors. PanCare has developed plain-language summaries with information about late effects for survivors, as well as their non-specialist healthcare providers, relatives and friends.
Topics include cancer-related fatigue, hair loss, heart and hearing problems, to name a few. Pancare Plain Summaries.
School
The long-term impact of childhood, adolescent or young adult cancer is often invisible and can be hard for others to fully understand. Students may have missed a lot of school time during treatment and for follow-up appointments and may also be experiencing cancer-related fatigue, a common and often misunderstood effect.
This fatigue is very real and can affect their physical, emotional and cognitive wellbeing long after treatment ends. They may appear well and be able to manage in school but by the time they get home, they may be completely exhausted, leaving little energy for homework, study, sports or social activities.
Make sure to communicate these side effects to your child’s school and put accommodations in place as necessary. Accommodations may include no homework, or reduced homework, part-time attendance, access to a quiet room or space to rest during the day.
It’s important for young people to have time and energy for their friends and any sport or social activities with their peers, as well as school but it will take some time to find the right balance, both for you and them, as it will mean planning and prioritising and finding time for rest.
Institute of Education
Childhood Cancer Ireland has developed a partnership with the Institute of Education so that students who have / had cancer can access free part-time courses and grinds, which may be of interest to students from 2nd year to 6th year.
Webinars
You may find some helpful advice in our webinars on this topic, including:
- Transitioning to secondary school
- Transition from second to third level
- Alternative pathways to further and higher education
- DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) and the CAO
DARE
DARE is the Disability Access Route to Education, which is designed to compensate for the impact of childhood or adolescent cancer on a young person’s education. Students who have / had cancer qualify under the ‘significant ongoing illness’ category.
You can learn more about DARE in the I Am A Survivor section.
Family Events
Childhood Cancer Ireland holds different family events throughout the year. If your child is well enough and you’re able to attend, it’s an opportunity to meet other families and build a community of others with a shared experience.
Financial Information and Advice
Parents report that it can take some time to get back on a good footing financially when their child is finished treatment. Childhood Cancer Ireland’s Financial Advice Service can help you navigate your way through this phase, helping you to plan for the short, medium and long term and ensure that you are aware of any assistance that might be available.
Having Your Voice Heard
Through our advocacy work we give a voice to the quietest people in the room – children with cancer.
We ensure that survivorship and the long-term impacts of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, which may impact both physical health and emotional wellbeing, are recognised and supported in both policy and practice.
The annual CAYAS Conference (Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers & Survivorship) highlights the lived experience of parents, families, patients, and survivors by providing them with a platform to collaborate and connect with medical experts, healthcare researchers, and others.
If you would like to get involved in advocacy in any way, or to share your experience, contact us.