Hannah’s Story
CLIC Sargent Social Worker, Hannah, shares her thoughts on the pandemic:
“The additional adversity COVID-19 has presented children, young people and their families already contending with cancer has been profound. We have never been so busy. Parents are so worried and anxious about their children being vulnerable to coronavirus and how they will cope financially too.
“In the early stages of the pandemic, we needed to accumulate an entirely new knowledge base and the learning curve was very steep. Equipping service users with information they needed was vital – most were overwhelmed by information as it related to cancer and they had neither the time, energy nor capacity to make sense of what the pandemic meant for them and their family. In some instances, this meant organising shopping for families who were unable to access a supermarket delivery slot. We also researched and absorbed guidance on shielding, making it accessible for parents to articulate to their employer and be afforded reasonable adjustments in light of their circumstances. COVID-19 has created additional financial burdens and supporting families to apply for appropriate benefits, grants and financial support has been essential to alleviate the stress and anxiety people have suffered as a result of financial difficulties.
“The feelings of worry, anxiety and fear was often highlighted by families. Responding to this felt as valid as other forms of support. Our practical interventions were often just the beginning of a conversation about the emotional impact of COVID-19 in the context of cancer treatment. One parent said that cancer feels isolating but the pandemic makes being on your own a reality. Listening and emotional support has been so important to help reduce the experience of feeling alone, manage distress and to help make life a little less overwhelming.”
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