What To Expect

Your child’s care is our top priority at the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center. We find that family interaction and parent involvement in the decision-making process, helps patients feel more at ease, parents more comfortable and the health care team feeling more informed. No matter what program your child is in, the JJCCC health care team will ensure parent connection and communication.

Using a multidisciplinary approach, a unique care plan is established for each child that includes comprehensive assessments and treatment developed to maximize each child’s potential. This unique care focuses on the child’s individual needs in a climate of culturally appropriate and age-specific, family centered care environment.

• Consultation
  A consultation is an in-depth information gathering session with one of the Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center’s hematologists/oncologists and the parents, family and child. The physician will rely heavily on background information you have about your child’s behavior and lifestyle. It is very helpful and important to have previous medical records, if available, for the doctor to review, as well as any of your child’s school reports or tests. Before your child’s appointment you may be given a parent questionnaire to fill out, this questionnaire helps the JJCCC care team during the consultation stage.
• Case Management
  The JJCCC care team will follow your child’s care every step of the way and make sure that you are informed of your child’s treatment plan. Parents are considered partners in their child’s care and the decision making process. Extensive care plans will ensure parents are prepared for their child’s care during their visit and at home. Also during this process, the care team will attain information from different sources like the child’s school and parents to help determine psychosocial support.
• Diagnosis
  Once a diagnosis is made, the center will help you and your child with treatment or referrals to proper community services if needed.
• School Reintegration
  This program ensures that school-aged pediatric hematology/oncology patients receive appropriate school reintegration based on their medical, cognitive, social and emotional needs. Neuropsychological testing, letters and phone consultations with the school and classroom presentations can help your child to be accepted back into school with ease.
• Follow-Up Care
  Once a child has been diagnosed and is undergoing or has completed treatment, follow-up care is continued at least once a year to ensure the patients needs are being met through psychosocial programs, late effects program and referral to support groups.
• Psychosocial Testing
  The effects of cancer or serious blood disorder treatment on a child and their family can be challenging. Psychosocial testing allows the JJCCC health care team to analyze behavioral, cognitive, emotional and social effects the treatment has had on the child. Appropriate resources and referrals can then be made to help the child address these issues.

The JJCCC care team will provide children and their families thorough understanding of the diagnosis and safe medical management of your child’s condition, preventative treatment and early signs of illness and/or complications.