“I'm still his dad and he's still my son,” says comedian Rob Delaney, who reflected on his son Henry’s battle with brain cancer, and life as a father before he passed away from the disease.
Delaney, 43, shared a touching photo of him and his son Henry, who passed away at 2 years old in January 2018 from brain cancer. “Look at this beautiful boy,” Delaney wrote. “He died when he was 2. I'm still his dad & he's still my son.”
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The Impact Of Childhood Cancer On Family
When you have a child who is going through cancer, it's difficult to give ample attention to many of life's other demands and that may include nurturing other relationships. Unfortunately, for parents caring for a child with cancer, the strain of the situation can really damage the relationship. Jayne Wexler, whose son Justice is a childhood cancer survivor, saw many couples struggle and eventually break under the intense pressure firsthand.
Luckily for Wexler and her husband, they didn’t struggle as much as others. pointed out that she and her husband will always have fear for Justice's health, given everything they have been through, but she said that they work through that fear together. They try to appreciate every moment they have together as a family, and they even attended parenting therapy to get through some of the harder times.
Jayne Wexler explains how pediatric cancer can change the family dynamic
"There's always some sort of worry," Jayne said. "…We have to live each day and be thankful for what we have, and it's hard to remember that when you're caught up, especially in New York City, with all the craziness. It's very hard just to sort of enjoy the moment."
Parents Caring For Children Battling Cancer: The Experience
While some parents of childhood cancer survivors talk about life after treatment, Wexler shared with SurvivorNet the experience of being both a mother and caregiver to Justice, which is understandably an incredibly hard experience. There's a thin line between wanting to be strong for your child, and dealing with the emotions that come with watching your child suffer.
"Being a caregiver is a huge job," Jayne said. "Fortunately, my husband and family were very supportive … it's really hard to see your child go through this. If it could be me, I would take it in a second. You just go on auto-pilot and you just do what you have to do."
Jayne also touched on the many components that go into dealing with cancer. As a parent caring for a child with the disease, that doesn't leave a lot of time to sit down and deal with your own emotions. She says therapy was especially helpful really helpful. Pediatric cancer is a lot for a family to go through, and just having someone to talk you through it can make a huge difference.
Jayne Wexler explains the experience of being a cancer caregiver and mother
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Wexler says. “There has been a lot of therapy over the years, which is really helpful. You know, there’s a stigma about it sometimes that people don’t want to do that stuff. I can handle this on my own, but it’s a lot to handle. I try to just keep breathing and relax and enjoy my time with Justice, and I realize that it’s very precious.”
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