I told her he would love to see her, that his little face just would light up when he had visitors. But she never came. She never offered to help at home when he was so ill. She just disappeared. It is hard to predict how anyone will react to the diagnosis of childhood cancer.
Grandparents are no exception.
Some respond with the wisdom gleaned from decades of living, others become needy, and some withdraw. It is natural in a time of grave crisis to look to your parents for support and help, but it is important to remember that grandparents' ability to respond also depends on events in their own lives. If problems develop, help can be obtained from hospital social workers or through individual counseling. Restructuring family life Childhood cancer does not strike only families with brave children and heroic parents. In the United States, the popular press has responded to people's fear of cancer by churning out story after story of people who faced the diagnosis with almost superhuman hope and strength.