Telling the Truth…With Kindness: Retrospective Evaluation of 12 Years of Activity of a Support Group for Children and Their Parents With Cancer.

Background: Cancer in a parent can have harmful effects on a child's ability to cope with the situation, in particular if communication about the disease is limited.

Objective: The aim was to evaluate whether the parent-child group run by a psychoanalyst and a doctor at the hospital helps facilitate communication about the disease with a child and helps to sooth the child and his/her symptoms.

Methods: This qualitative retrospective study conducted among 61 families (71 adults, 19 children) using semidirected interviews made it possible to identify the expectations and benefits perceived by the parents and children.