Sibling Supporters’ Experiences of Giving Support to Siblings Who Have a Brother or a Sister With Cancer

Abstract

Siblings of a child with a life-threatening disease, such as cancer, have a right to measures that promote their health and welfare. Siblings may find it hard to understand what is happening to the sick child with cancer and why he or she reacts as he or she does. The aim of the study was to explore sibling supporters' thoughts about the experiences they had in providing support for siblings with a brother or a sister with a life-threatening disease such as cancer. All the 12 sibling supporters currently working in Sweden participated in a qualitative, descriptive study from which 5 categories emerged, showing that the sibling supporters supported siblings from diagnosis until possible death. They enabled siblings who were in the same situation to meet each other and arranged activities suited to their ages, as well as offering an encouraging environment. To help the siblings, the sibling supporters found it necessary to interact with both the parents and the ward staff. The sibling supporters felt that their support was important and necessary in helping siblings promote their own health both when the sick child was alive and also after his or her death. The experience of the sibling supporters was that they listened to the siblings' stories and met them when they were in their crisis. The study confirms that sibling supporters should be a part of the health care team that treat and support the family when a child has cancer.

Sweden and Finland need to improve the support provided for the siblings of children with cancer

“…Sibling support varies between countries. Since 2012 Swedish paediatric oncology centres have provided sibling supporters, who offer an encouraging environment and activities to enable siblings in similar situations to meet each other . However, no special support exists in Finland, as in most countries, and siblings with psychological problems receive support from general psychological services.…”

The Forgotten Children

“…Since 2013, "sibling supporters" have been available to provide support to siblings at six pediatric oncology units in Sweden [54]. They are resource persons whose main task is to see the siblings of those who become sick [54].…”

“…Since 2013, "sibling supporters" have been available to provide support to siblings at six pediatric oncology units in Sweden [54]. They are resource persons whose main task is to see the siblings of those who become sick [54]. They participate in various activities together, listen to their narratives, and are present during the time of illness, survivorship, and bereavement [54].…”

“…They are resource persons whose main task is to see the siblings of those who become sick [54]. They participate in various activities together, listen to their narratives, and are present during the time of illness, survivorship, and bereavement [54]. They facilitated opportunities for similar siblings to meet each other, to discuss things that a sibling was unable to say or understand, and to facilitate conversations with parents and professionals [54].…”

“…They participate in various activities together, listen to their narratives, and are present during the time of illness, survivorship, and bereavement [54]. They facilitated opportunities for similar siblings to meet each other, to discuss things that a sibling was unable to say or understand, and to facilitate conversations with parents and professionals [54]. They were also able to remain positive and create outings for siblings outside the hospital that disassociate them from sickness and death [54].…”