The Trish Greene Back to School Program for Children With Cancer was developed to foster communication among healthcare professionals, parents, young patients and school personnel in preparation for the return to school and other activities. Informative materials, videos and a wealth of literature are available through all of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's local chapters.

The program offers parents and educators several resources to help integrate children back into the classroom following cancer treatment. Included are videos and printed materials that help explain to classmates and teachers how kids with cancer feel, why they may look different, what type of treatment they've undergone and special needs they may have on their return. The materials can be adapted to address the needs of children transplanted for diseases other than cancer as well.

Resources include videos and printed material, such as:

• Why, Charlie Brown, Why, which tells the tale of a classmate who develops leukemia. Using Charles Schulz's lovable Peanuts characters, the video helps children understand what leukemia is, how it is treated, and how a child recovering from leukemia feels. When a classmate teases the girl because she has no hair, her friends rally around her and help the other children understand why his remarks were inappropriate.

• Coping With Childhood Leukemia and Lymphoma, which offers practical suggestions for integrating a child back into normal family and school routines and discusses issues such as the emotions siblings may feel.  This publication can be viewed or ordered online.

To get more information about the Trish Greene Back to School Program for Children With Cancer, please contact us or call (800) 955-4572.