When children face cancer, Senior Child Life Specialist Liow Hwee Hsiang knows that their biggest form of emotional support will come from their loved ones.
Hence, her counselling sessions focus on the strength and resilience of the child and family.
“We talk about concrete ways the family can support the child and one another. Having a network of support helps to reduce the sense of isolation in their experience,” she says.
Hwee Hsiang also helps patients and families understand the illness, treatments, lifestyle changes and physical changes that will take place during the cancer journey. Sometimes, this means finding ways to explain difficult scenarios to children.
She recalls an eight-year-old with bone cancer who needed to have his leg amputated.
“I made a gingerbread man out of play dough and pointed to where the cancer was. Then I asked him what we could do to stop the cancer from growing in other parts of the body. The boy drew a line across the limb of the gingerbread man with his finger and said to cut it off. And I responded that the doctor also said it was the best way to help,” says Hwee Hsiang.
An outpouring of emotions followed, with the boy crying and shouting “no” over the prospect of losing his limb. Hwee Hsiang gave him the time and space to grieve.
When the child was more composed, she answered his questions as compassionately and honestly as she could. He wanted to know what would happen to the amputated leg and asked questions such as – “What would life be like for a person with physical disability?”
He was one of the many children Hwee Hsiang has journeyed with throughout her 17 years with CCF - listening, understanding and validating their concerns and fears.
She says: “Seeings patients and their loved ones overcome their struggles as a family is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.”