When a Parent is Terminally Ill

Filed in archive Health on February 1, 2007

My mother lost her own mother to cancer when she was 9 years old. 4 of my mother's siblings have died of cancer and one of my cousins was also diagnosed with cancer. Last year, I had my own cancer scare. Thank God, it was not as bad as I thought. To date, though, I still get quarterly tests.

It's not that I am afraid of the disease. More than anything else, I am afraid that if the cancer does progress and my body is not able to fight it, my children will grow up without me.

I know they would cope but I cannot even begin to try to imagine how much it would hurt and scare them if I do get sick. I hope that it would never happen.

I hope that I would not have to deal with something which Aimee and Jim Chamernik are dealing with right now.

"How, they wondered, do you tell a child that his mom is dying?"

Telling your kids about your terminal illness is something that no one should have to go through. Sadly, many have/had to face this kind of situation.

Let's hope that with all the advances in science and technology, they would find a cure to illnesses which rob many children of their parents.