Families facing a child’s cancer need long-term support. At Leucan, counsellors accompany families for an average of five years. Psychoeducator Annabelle Fortin shares what this vital support looks like.
05 January 2026
When our video call begins, fog and rain blanket the St. Lawrence Valley. Maybe that explains why, at some point, we end up talking about… squash soup. Partly, perhaps. But mostly because when discussing childhood cancer, one can’t help but crave warmth and tenderness.
Despite the heaviness of the topic, the realities parents face when their child is diagnosed with cancer and the services Leucan offers to help them, Annabelle is quick to reassure. “There are beautiful moments and many successes to celebrate,” she says, almost to soften what comes next.
Annabelle explains that parents often experience a profound loss of bearings. Fully invested in caring for their sick child, they are exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally by the constant need to mobilize their energy, time, and understanding of complex medical treatments. The family must inevitably reorganize itself.
“When a child begins treatment, everything becomes urgent. Families shift into problem solving mode, trying to hold on to some sense of balance. In the moment, parents do not realize just how much they are giving.”
It is clear from the outset how deeply Annabelle cares about families affected by childhood cancer.
“My passion for children and families was already there when I was a nurse, and it grew during my studies in psychoeducation.” During her master’s program, she interned with Leucan as a resource person supporting families at every stage of the illness. The experience left a lasting impression. “It was the best of both worlds, psychosocial and medical together. I brought my knowledge, but I was also expanding my horizons.”
Today, Annabelle proudly supports the counsellors who work directly with families. “My goal is to help them feel confident and competent in their role.”
Counsellors tailor their services to each family’s needs and expectations. Their support can include financial aid at diagnosis, emotional and psychosocial guidance, recreational and social activities, massage therapy, respite opportunities, and more. In short, they are present physically and emotionally during the hardest moments, starting from the very announcement of the cancer and answering the many questions that arise.
Through ongoing conversations with families, counsellors learn to identify needs with precision.
“There are many public support programs in the healthcare system. Leucan goes further by seeking out additional and personalized options. What brings comfort to this family? What helps them feel better?”
Parents receive large amounts of information during treatment. Counsellors help them make sense of it all, especially when medical staff are not available.
Annabelle insists that being rigid or following a predefined protocol goes against Leucan’s philosophy. Every family is different. Needs emerge at different points in their journey. What do the parents, siblings, or extended family need today? After remission? After the loss of a child?
The aim is to provide personalized and relationship centered support. “We layer services over time, like building blocks. That is why we constantly expand our service offering.”
Annabelle prepares ongoing training for counsellors throughout the year.
Her advisory role includes responding to counsellors’ requests, organizing experiential knowledge sharing groups, taking part in specialized training, and adapting what she learns to support the counsellors in turn.
Annabelle emphasizes an often overlooked reality. “The effects of pediatric cancer linger long after. It is often one or two years after remission or after a child’s passing that families collapse.”
Survival rates for childhood cancer are generally high in Canada and Québec. When remission is finally announced, parents often break down. Emotional and physical exhaustion, questioning, and a search for meaning surface only then. Why did this happen? What did we live through? What changed in us? Are we stronger now? The experience is deeply traumatic.
Leucan supports families for an average of five years after diagnosis.
Siblings also have major needs. “The older sister suddenly becomes more mature. The older brother fills in gaps. Post traumatic symptoms appear. That is why we offer family respite events with activities tailored to each family member.”
The words caregiver or family caregiver have not yet come up. Why, we ask?
Annabelle’s response is clear. Parents do not use these terms. “For them, caring for their child is simply part of being a parent. Calling themselves caregivers would add another layer of trauma, as if it magnified the situation.”
She notes a general lack of accessible information about family caregiving, which prevents many parents from recognizing themselves in this role.
It is only after remission or after the child’s death that parents begin to see themselves as caregivers.
“That is when they finally grasp how exhausted they are from everything they have done. With more distance, less urgency, and fewer overwhelming emotions, they begin to reflect on their role.”
So what about the soup? Annabelle explains. A Leucan counsellor created small informational cards for extended family members, offering seasonal ideas to support the household. In autumn, for example, raking leaves or making squash soup for the siblings.
“It is simple, but for families, it makes a world of difference.”
This is exactly what Annabelle wants people to understand about her work. She encourages counsellors to step outside traditional psychosocial frameworks and use creativity to identify needs wherever they emerge.
One last piece of advice for families?
“Do not underestimate the impact of reorganizing family life. It can shape your family’s long term trajectory. Even if you feel you are moving in the right direction and have made it through, nothing disappears entirely.
To grow stronger and make sense of what you have lived through, families need support. Use your Leucan counsellor as much as possible, long after remission or a child’s passing. Even when it feels like it is over, our support to families never truly ends.”
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