It's nobody's fault that you have cancer. It is not because you did or said something wrong, and it is not because you were naughty. Remember, cancer is not contagious! This means that no one passed it to you, and you can't pass it to anyone else either. But, you should try not to go to crowded places because you may catch infections easily.
What is Childhood Cancer?Cancer is an uncontrolled and abnormal cell growth that can spread to other parts of the body, wreaking havoc and disrupting normal bodily functions. Childhood cancers grow more rapidly than adult cancers because the cancer tissues grow together with the fast-growing tissues of the child.
Common side-effects:
• Hair loss
• Changes in appetite
• Susceptibility to infection
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain and burning at injection site (especially for chemotherapy)
• Mouth soreness and ulcers
• Constipation
• Bone marrow depression (low blood counts)
• Skin damage (especially for radiation damage)
Less common side-effects
• Allergic reactions such as rash, shortness of breaths
• Jaundice (yellow tint of the skin and eyes)
• Blood in the urine
• Tiredness
• Lack of co-ordination
