Education
School
Many of you were probably at school when cancer exploded into your life. School is a major part of everyone’s life and is where most of your friendships are developed. Maintaining a sense or normality by going to school as much as possible can help you get through your cancer experience.
If you are a young person with cancer, it can be very worrying what is going to happen to your schoolwork, friends and school activities while you are undergoing treatment. When you are having chemo or radiotherapy and are feeling sick, you may not be able to keep up with what’s going on at school and sometimes it is difficult to catch up. It is not just schoolwork you will miss out on, but also the contact with friends and involvement in different school activities. Many young people who have been through cancer treatment feel that it is important to go back to school as soon as possible. This is not always easy but many young people say that going back to school made them feel a little more normal again. However, after a long period of absence you may feel both nervous and excited about going back. You may feel self conscious about the changes in your life and unsure how others will deal with them. Some young people find it helpful to have a professional visit their school to prepare and educate the teachers and classmates about cancer and how to treat people living with cancer.
If you are a young person living with cancer, you may find that there is a change in your friends’ reactions to you at school…..they may not know how to react around you. It is important that you try and be honest with them and explain your situation and that you just want to be treated like you used to be. Telling them about your sibling’s cancer or your parent’s cancer as much as you feel you can might be helpful to them, as well as you!
You may also see a change in your performance at school. This may be a direct result of absenteeism, or other factors such as poor concentration, lack of motivation or emotional and physical difficulties. If you encounter difficulties processing, retaining and learning new information (more than usual!), talk to your teachers and parents. Ask them to work together with your school to develop reasonable expectations that may include modifications in the classroom or curriculum for you.
You may find a balance between being overprotected, being given the “special” treatment and people pretending that nothing has happened. Things have changed and consideration needs to be given to your new circumstances but it doesn’t have to be a big deal!
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Other study
If you are attending university or TAFE, all of this can apply for you too. The challenges and solutions discussed are relevant to both students and people in the workforce. Talking to your lecturers, tutors and department head should help to create a supportive environment for you to continue to work towards your educational goals.
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