The Time For Life Summer Program provides an innovative intervention that assists children with cancer and their families with the psychosocial effects and disruption of family life that occur as a result of a cancer diagnosis and treatment in a child. Following this theme, the program also addresses issues specific and unique to families of children who have undergone bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. In addition, the program addresses the unique and difficult issues for families who have lost a child to cancer with the inclusion of a bereavement session.

The Summer Program was developed to address the absence of supportive and direct services available to children with cancer and their families. Its goals and objective are:

Quality of Life
Given the opportunity to spend time in a recreational environment without clinical intrusions, and interact with other families living with a cancer diagnosis in a child, children with cancer and their family members will report a positive increase in their quality of life

Decrease Anxiety Through Family Interaction
In order to decrease the symptoms of anxiety and stress related to the disease in children with cancer and their family members, the child, siblings, parents, and extended family members utilize the benefits of interpersonal interactions and increase quality family time.

Assist and Improve Marital Relationships
With Parents Night Out, social opportunities, adult interaction, and a relaxing environment help parents to focus on one another and to improve their marital relationship.

Sessions for Intensive Treatment
Medically intensive treatments, such as bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, create specific and extremely challenging psychosocial issues for children and their families. Specialized sessions are designed to improve coping skills.

Bereavement
For families who have lost a child to cancer, the healing and recovery process can be extremely difficult. Specific sessions and assistance is provided to address these bereavement issues and to facilitate the healing and recovery process.