Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Handbook
Free Handbook: Thyroid Cancer Basics English Spanish Chinese Italian Russian Hebrew
ThyCa Cares for Kids! The Backpack Project
American Thyroid Association Guidelines for Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Free Videos With Experts
These pages offer information for everyone interested in learning more about thyroid cancer in children and adolescents -- pediatric thyroid cancer.
While the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with pediatric thyroid cancer is small compared to the numbers among adults, learning about all types of thyroid cancer is important. Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers that is increasing in incidence each year.
We invite you to read these pages and to explore the further free support and information resources that are available for families, friends, and health care professionals coping with pediatric thyroid cancer.
ThyCa is also part of MyPart, the Pediatric and Adult Rare Tumor Network of the National Cancer Institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Here are two links to this network. https://www.cancer.gov/pediatric-adult-rare-tumor/about/what-is-mypart. https://www.cancer.gov/pediatric-adult-rare-tumor/participate/partners
About this Site and Other Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Support
Our goal at ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc. is to support, encourage, and inform you as you navigate this journey of Pediatric Thyroid Cancer.
Pediatric thyroid cancer is a road less traveled. Many of us have been seeking specific medical information and experienced medical professionals to guide us, just as families have done for treating other childhood cancers.
We are all grateful that most children and adolescents with thyroid cancer have remarkable and successful outcomes. However, it is unnerving and frightening to have a child with cancer.
We hope to help you by shining a light on this path on which you have now found your child and family. Cancer is not something that affects only the child; it affects your entire family. Cancer will impact the patient, the siblings, and the parents or caregivers.
We hope that by equipping you with information and the experiences of other families, you will become the best possible advocate for your child, to help reduce the long-term impact of this disease on your child and family. Connecting with others on this journey is also a comfort. Learning from each other and networking are invaluable.
Get additional pediatric thyroid cancer support from ThyCa:
- Join ThyCa's online Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Email Support Group.
- Visit ThyCa’s pediatric special interest group, which meets online once a month.
- Find a local ThyCa support group, if your community has one, to get to know others in your community who are coping with thyroid cancer.
- Attend a ThyCa conference or workshop. At these meetings, you can develop a support network and gain encouragement and knowledge, all helping you to become your child’s best advocate.
The best way to support your child is to obtain appropriate medical treatment, to educate yourselves, and to ensure that your child has a lifetime of follow-up. Together, we can make a difference and give each other hope and understanding as we travel this journey on the road less traveled.
This Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Site was developed by volunteers of ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., and received input from numerous physician specialists who provide ongoing input and support to ThyCa's efforts in education, support, and outreach.We are grateful to everyone who has helped develop this site. We ask that everyone continue to contribute. For further information or to suggest additions to the web page, please send email to the page facilitator, Pam Mendenhall, at pediatric@thyca.org.
Disclaimer
This Pediatric Thyroid Cancer web site contains the knowledge and thoughts of families who have experienced thyroid cancer in a child or adolescent, as well as the knowledge of physician specialists in thyroid cancer and pediatric thyroid cancer. The information contained on this web site is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended, nor should it be interpreted, as medical advice or directions of any kind. Persons viewing this information are strongly advised to consult their own physicians for all matters involving their health and medical care.
Last updated: July 14, 2021