Step by Step – A Parent’s Guide to Caring for a Child with Cancer

Description

When Kay’s youngest son was diagnosed with ALL Ph+ — one of the most aggressive forms of childhood leukaemia — they faced a two-year intensive chemotherapy protocol followed by a bone marrow transplant. There was no guidebook. No manual for what to bring to the hospital, how to feed a child who can’t eat, or how to keep yourself from falling apart in the process.

When their son left hospital early and never returned with a secondary infection, their Cancer Nurse Specialist asked one question: “What did you do?”

This book is the answer.

Step by Step is a practical, parent-to-parent guide covering everything Kay learned across years of caring for her son through cancer treatment in Spain and the UK. From creating healing spaces in hospital rooms to advocating for your child’s care, from emergency preparedness to the complementary health approaches that supported their family alongside conventional treatment.

Inside you’ll find:
• Breathing exercises and grounding techniques for crisis moments
• Protocols for creating healing environments in hospital rooms
• Nutritional strategies when hospital food isn’t enough
• Guidance on advocating for your child with medical teams
• Emergency hospital bag checklists
• Self-care strategies for the caregiver
• Complementary approaches including aromatherapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and movement therapy
• Post-transplant care including understanding GVHD
• Resources and support organisations in the UK, US, and internationally

This is not a medical manual. It’s a lived experience — honest, practical, and forged in the trenches of an aggressive cancer protocol. Written with humility and love, for any parent, carer, or family member holding the hand of someone they love through a cancer diagnosis.

A portion of proceeds supports The Anthony Nolan Trust and Young Lives vs Cancer.

“Where there is love, there is always hope. If this guide book gives one tip, one piece of advice, one more moment of strength and hope, then it has been worthwhile.” — Kay Hunter Saber