September turns gold each year to raise awareness of childhood cancer and highlight the needs of children diagnosed with the disease and their families.
Gold September serves as a month of awareness and sensitisation around childhood cancer, reminding the public that behind every diagnosis is a child, a family and a difficult journey.
One such journey is being experienced by a family in Cyprus after their six-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer.
Her mother spoke to SigmaLive about the moment their lives changed, the difficult months of treatment and the challenges faced by parents of children undergoing cancer treatment.
‘Cancer never crossed our minds’
The illness was detected following an MRI scan. Until then, the family did not indicate what was to come.
“Cancer never crossed our minds and, in just one moment, our lives changed,” the mother said.
The six-year-old underwent nine cycles of chemotherapy over approximately eight months, followed by radiotherapy. According to her mother, she was diagnosed with a type of sarcoma.
Depending on the type and progression of the disease, surgery may also be required. In the six-year-old’s case, however, surgery was not necessary, and she received radiotherapy at the Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre.
Completing the nine chemotherapy cycles did not mark the end of her treatment. She is now in the maintenance phase, which, according to her mother, lasts around two years and involves taking chemotherapy medication at home every day.
‘She was very strong’
The mother described her daughter as a child who faced the difficult experience with considerable strength.
“Because of her age and because she knew everything, she did not understand the risks. So she handled it very well. It wasn’t easy, but she was very strong,” she said.
She also stressed that cancer does not simply end when chemotherapy finishes.
“Cancer isn’t like a virus where you take your medicine, and it goes away. It takes time. It’s not just those eight months,” she said.
‘Not every day is easy’
Daily life for a family going through such an ordeal can be difficult, with challenging days alongside moments that bring strength and hope.
“Not every day is easy, and not every day is difficult. There are difficult days, but there are also good days. Hopefully, everything will pass,” the mother said.
She added that doctors gave her strength and courage, reassuring her that the mortality rate was low.
Support from doctors and psychologists
The mother praised the staff of the paediatric oncology department, saying she had complete confidence in the doctors.
“The doctors were excellent. Seeing how they work in paediatric oncology and their knowledge, as they collaborate with a hospital abroad, we have complete confidence in them,” she said.
Psychological support was also important for both children and parents.
“They also helped us psychologically. There is a psychologist in the ward for the children and the parents,” she said.
Despite the circumstances, her daughter continued her lessons, including while she was in hospital.
The challenges facing parents
Beyond the illness itself, the mother highlighted the difficulties parents face in their everyday lives.
She called for greater understanding from employers, particularly when parents return to work after such a difficult period.
“Employers also need to be a little more understanding when parents return to work,” she said, explaining that it is not easy for a parent to return to normal life while under pressure and continuing to make frequent hospital visits over a long period.
For her, the greatest difficulty was feeling unable to take away her daughter’s pain or protect her from what she was experiencing.
“I couldn’t help my daughter. The only thing I could do was make sure she had a good time,” she said.
She added that parents going through such a situation should not have additional burdens or problems to deal with.
Families travelling abroad need support
The mother also spoke about families who are forced to travel abroad for their children’s treatment.
While the state covers hospital treatment, she said families can face significant expenses linked to staying abroad.
“The family leaves at its own expense, and the state will come years later to give you part of it, months or even years later,” she said.
“You leave your life behind, and you need support. It will cover an amount, but it won’t cover everything, and it won’t do so on time,” she added.
In her view, financial support should ideally be provided to families before they leave Cyprus.
‘Cancer is part of our lives’
Concluding her account, the mother stressed the importance of speaking openly to children about cancer rather than treating the word as something that should be avoided.
Cancer, she said, “is part of our lives”, and it is important to talk to children about it.
Through the experience, she has also seen her daughter change – a six-year-old who, despite everything she has experienced, appears to have developed a greater maturity.
“I see a very different expression on her face, more mature,” she said.
Also read: Five Cypriots climb Mount Olympus to support children with cancer and leukaemia
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