When children diagnosed with cancer undergo radiation treatments at the Hospital for Sick Children and Princess Margaret Hospital it can be scary -- the unknown is scary at any age. Traditionally, to help make a child more comfortable, they are given a plush animal as a radiation buddy.

Now Toronto hospitals have something more to help in the way of an animated interactive CD-ROM that shows what will be happening during radiation treatment.


Called Radiation for Kids, it is also written to ease concerns of parents about what their child will be facing in treatment by providing a glossary of medical terms and tips on how to talk to their child about cancer.

In Radiation for Kids, a child creates an animated character and follows it on a virtual tour into treatment. The program is written with different levels of age-related information, puzzles and games so that young children and teens can both benefit from Radiation for Kids.

According to the children and parents who have viewed Radiation for Kids, the information provided does lift fear and gives everyone a sense of confidence in what lies ahead.