Supporting children affected by a family member’s blood cancer
LBC’s Kids’ Club can help
LBC runs a group to support children aged between 5 and 12 who have a parent or sibling with a blood cancer. The group focuses on the needs of the children and supports them to successfully cope with the diagnosis and treatment of a parent or sibling with cancer.
What we do
The LBC Kids’ Club is facilitated by play therapists and psychologists who specialise in workshops for children and teenagers affected by cancer. In a safe, friendly, and fun environment, children can take part in activities and talk about their feelings, learn a little bit about cancer and treatment and meet other children going through a similar experience.
The groups are currently held in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.
More info
For more details or if you are interested in being part of a Kids’ Club elsewhere in New Zealand, please contact a Support Services Coordinator.
Useful resources
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Blood Basics
Learn more about bone marrow, red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and the lymphatic system.
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Leukaemia
Leukaemia is the name given to a group of cancers that develop in the bone marrow. Under normal conditions, the bone marrow contains a small number of healthy immature blood cells (blast cells) which mature and develop into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, which are eventually released into the bloodstream.
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Lymphoma
Lymphoma is the general name for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system.
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Myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells (mature B-lymphocytes), which are a type of white blood cell that form part of the immune system. Myeloma may also be called multiple myeloma or plasma cell myeloma.
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Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN)
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of blood cancers in which the bone marrow makes too many cells (either red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets). MPNs used to be called myeloproliferative disorders.
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Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of blood cancers which affect the production of normal blood cells in the bone marrow. MDS is sometimes referred to as myelodysplasia.
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Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the name given to a group of cancers that develop from B-lymphocytes (B-cells), T-lymphocytes (T-cells) and natural killer cells (NK cells).
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Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is cancer of the lymphatic system, part of the immune system, and mainly affects the lymphocytes. Hodgkin lymphoma differs from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in that it is characterised by the presence of a particular cancer cell, known as the Reed-Sternberg cell.
