By Lauren O’Connell
The toughest moment in my life was when I told my kids about my breast cancer diagnosis. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I found out about my cancer just 10 days before Christmas, I decided to wait until after the holidays so they could enjoy the festive season. Just before the New Year, I had individual heart-to-heart talks with them, allowing their unique questions and concerns to be addressed.
First, I spoke with my 14-year-old daughter. She had noticed that her dad and I had been going out a lot and confessed she thought I was pregnant! When my husband and I broke the news about my cancer, she was confused and scared, and tears started flowing. I held her close and assured her that I had an excellent medical team. I also shared the hopeful news from my oncologist that my cancer was curable.
Next, I talked to my 12-year-old son. His reaction broke my heart when he looked me in the eyes and said he didn’t want to lose me. He's usually a social, active guy, always in and out of the house—a “hi mom, bye mom” kid. Seeing him pour his heart out was so touching. I gave him the same reassurances as his sister, though he needed extra comforting.
We decided to put both kids in therapy for added support, and I’m so glad we did. The therapy helped them process their emotions, understand the situation better, and provided them with a safe space to express their fears and concerns. I've always had an open door policy with my kids to ask me anything (and trust me, they do!) but I felt a neutral third party to chat with would be beneficial for them too.
As a family, we’ve grown closer and stronger through this journey, ready to face any challenge that comes our way. I'm glad we told our kids about my breast cancer diagnosis the way we did.
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