A children’s book about cancer
Mum’s Purple Scarf is a picture book to help children know what to expect when a parent has cancer. Cancer means lots of changes for the whole family and the book covers chemotherapy, hair loss, fatigue, extra chore and hospital visits.
How do you tell your kids you have cancer? How do you prepare them for what’s about to unfold when you’re not even sure yourself?
While the medical impacts of a cancer diagnosis are difficult for children to understand, it is important that kids are given enough information to understand what to expect – at their level.
From lasagne to hair loss, extra play dates and how talking can help, Mum’s Purple Scarf provides this through a beautifully illustrated literal (neuro inclusive) children’s book. It was written specifically to help parents explain the practical changes in a child’s life when a parent is diagnosed with cancer.
This book is a must for diagnosed parents, and those supporting families through a cancer diagnosis, including teachers, doctors, oncologists and their nursing teams.
The text and illustrations were kindly reviewed by Cancer Council Victoria and the author’s oncologist to ensure the book provides advice recommended by the experts on talking to kids about cancer. It was also tested with cancer patient, survivors, nurses and teachers.
The text and illustrations were kindly reviewed by Cancer Council Victoria and the author’s oncologist to ensure the book provides advice recommended by the experts on talking to kids about cancer. It was also tested with cancer patient, survivors, nurses and teachers.
A book to help children know what to expect when a parent has cancer.
A children’s book about cancer
Mum’s Purple Scarf is a picture book to help children know what to expect when a parent has cancer. Cancer means lots of changes for the whole family and the book covers chemotherapy, hair loss, fatigue, extra chore and hospital visits.
How do you tell your kids you have cancer? How do you prepare them for what’s about to unfold when you’re not even sure yourself?
While the medical impacts of a cancer diagnosis are difficult for children to understand, it is important that kids are given enough information to understand what to expect – at their level.
From lasagne to hair loss, extra play dates and how talking can help, Mum’s Purple Scarf provides this through a beautifully illustrated literal (neuro inclusive) children’s book. It was written specifically to help parents explain the practical changes in a child’s life when a parent is diagnosed with cancer.
This book is a must for diagnosed parents, and those supporting families through a cancer diagnosis, including teachers, doctors, oncologists and their nursing teams.
The text and illustrations were kindly reviewed by Cancer Council Victoria and the author’s oncologist to ensure the book provides advice recommended by the experts on talking to kids about cancer. It was also tested with cancer patient, survivors, nurses and teachers.
$1 from every book sold will be
donated to Cancer Council Victoria.
$1 from every book sold will be
donated to Cancer Council Victoria.
About the author
There was plenty of material to support parents but Jane could not find a book which explained to a child the impact a parent’s cancer diagnosis would have on their everyday life.
She wrote Mum’s Purple Scarf to help other parents explain the cancer journey to their children. It can be read with children from 4 to 11 years of age. It mixes information and humour in a literal way.
Read more about Jane and her cancer journey.
The Illustrator
Janet Croll is a designer and illustrator who lives in the hills outside Melbourne.
She was born in Wales and studied in Aberdeen before emigrating with her husband to Australia. She is the Creative Director of Two Red Dogs Design.
