A childhood cancer diagnosis has a profound impact on the entire family, particularly taking a toll on the mental health of the diagnosed child and their siblings. Redkite addresses this challenge through children’s counselling, facilitated by specialised paediatric oncology community Social Workers. Our research indicates that over half of families dealing with their children’s cancer diagnosis face gaps in emotional and mental health support for their kids.  

Alicia’s son, Bronson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) when he was just four years old. Alicia was 12 weeks pregnant with her when he was diagnosed. 

“Bronson, our almost 6-year-old, he is our mister social. He started kindy this year and he absolutely loves it. He missed probably six months of preschool in the lead up, but he just loves being back at school. He just loves being around people and making new friends. That’s his jam.” 

Alicia and Steve knew something was wrong in the lead up to Bronson’s diagnosis.  

“He looked really pale. His appetite was lacking. He wasn’t eating as much food, which meant that he was starting to lose a bit of weight. He just seemed unwell and not himself, but it got to the point where he stopped weight-bearing on one of his legs because it was hurting so much. And then, eventually, it reached a point where he wouldn’t weight bear on it at all. He didn’t want to walk, which was very strange for a very active four-year-old boy to not want to walk by choice.” 

After pushing for bloods tests, the results came the next day.

Alicia was told that her son has cancer. Bronson’s treatment started immediately after diagnosis. 

“We arrived on a Monday night and then he was sent straight in for the lumbar puncture and received his very first dose of chemo on the Tuesday morning. Once he started chemo and steroids and all the rest of that, he wouldn’t even put his feet on the ground. So, those initial couple of months were a bit stressful, because I was pregnant, and having to carry him everywhere.” 

For the initial six months of Bronson’s treatment, the family had to move to Newcastle to be near John Hunter Children’s Hospital. The family was introduced to Redkite on their first day. Redkite provides free counselling for adults and children diagnosed with cancer, and extends to their parents, carers, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, and the extended community. You can talk to us once or twice, or more often if you need. Counselling is available over the phone or online. We can also meet face-to-face at one of our Redkite offices. 

“I used the counselling service probably a month or two after diagnosis. I just found that I had a lot of words I needed to say, that I needed to say them to someone that I didn’t know. I just needed to get it all off my chest and have a cry and move forward from it a little bit. And I felt a lot better after that.””

Redkite plays a crucial role in supporting emotional and mental health and well-being, not only through therapeutic support like counselling, but also through the provision of specialised “Connect Groups” for adults.   

“It was people we didn’t know, because I didn’t obviously know about any childhood charities like Redkite. I’ve had no need to know before.” 

Bronson is still going in for hospital appointments once a month, get a blood test, stay the night, have a clinic appointment, and then come home.  

“He does still have a procedure every three months. He’s got a lumbar puncture every three months. Bronson is friends with anybody that he meets. We were worried he would lose that, but he never did. He loves to dance. He just loves to make people laugh, basically. That’s his thing.” 

Bronson finished treatment in August 2024.