Superheroes vs. Cancer: A gentle guide to help kids understand cancer, its treatments, and what they can do when someone is sick
By Joanna Ortynska and illustrated by Vaughan Duck
Reviewed by Jennifer Murray, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
Children are more at ease when they feel they have a grasp on what is really going on with their loved ones. Helping a child not feel isolated, excluded, or left in the dark about what is affecting their family, or having to guess what is being hidden from them and discussed behind closed doors, is what Superheroes vs. Cancer achieves. It opens a path for a child in this situation to face their fears, prompts emotional processing and communication, and promotes knowledge, which is empowering and helps make a child feel safe and understood. For a younger mind that soaks up information like a sponge and is desperate for answers, the storyline provides a sense of control, and, in turn, optimism and healthy coping skills replace fears, equipping the child to manage their feelings and find the effective comfort of self-soothing. This is why I especially like this book, as I think it’s the first of its kind to provide a kid-friendly but thorough, honest explanation of the different stages of cancer. It doesn’t steer away from using important terms like the word “tumors” and “oncologist” and breaks down the treatment options from chemo and radiation to immunotherapy.
Superheroes vs. Cancer is a simply wonderful book. The illustrations are phenomenal, and the flow of the children’s conversation and explanation of cells is exceptional. Many adults tend to think that the educational aspect of teaching children about cancer and illness is ‘too deep,’ ‘goes over a kid’s head,’ and is unnecessary. I have counseled many children who appreciated the details that I was tasked to explain and review with them, including the difficult truths about hair loss, fatigue, and nausea. This book is spot-on in helping a child better comprehend their loved one’s cancer experience. Many children value not receiving a watered-down version and often crave the option to be truthfully informed and included in what their parents’ experience involves and why, and in what the next steps may entail.
Superheroes vs. Cancer is a profound achievement that I feel will be extremely relatable for children experiencing cancer in their families. I also appreciated the note to the adults, and many kudos to the wonderful illustrator, Vaughan Duck. This book is a very touching, informative, and realistic read for children based on the author’s own experience of loss and grief, and having navigated firsthand the cancer trajectory from the medical standpoint, including the difficult decision-making involved. This material presents a sensitive topic in a loving, easy-to-comprehend manner and clearly considers its intended audience. The author was inspired by personal experience while parenting young children during her husband’s cancer diagnosis, and the book is a lasting tribute to their family, their story, and his memory. The book is available on Amazon and the author’s website. www.superheroesvcancer.com
