The Institut Català d’Oncologia has written a guide: ‘How to tell them what happens. Helping families to share with children and teenagers the cancer diagnosis of a relative’.

The document offers tools for sanitary staff to help families to communicate the illness of one of their members to the young ones. The work deals with aspects such as communication within the family and the conversation with children and teenagers according to their ages. It also includes recommendations to explain to them what this illness is, and it indicates the most frequent reactions they experience when they hear the news and how to face them.

The guide has been monitored by Anna Novellas, coordinator of ICO’s Social Work Unit, with the advice of Rosa Royo, clinic psychologist. A multidisciplinary team of professionals of ICO and other institutions has also participated in its elaboration.