How it affects your life
Childhood cancer can have a lasting impact on your life. The diagnosis is life-changing, and the treatment is invasive. It's often only after treatment that you realize what you've been through. So it's not surprising if you have questions.
Research shows that the disease and its treatment can continue to impact your physical and mental health, even years after treatment. They can also impact your education and place in society.
Initially after treatment, you'll have check-ups every month to quarter, but these are becoming increasingly less frequent. The doctor will check you and, if necessary, blood tests or tests will be performed. You'll also be asked about your school, friends, and so on. Five years after diagnosis (for ALL and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, this is five years after the end of treatment), you'll be declared cured. From then on, you'll go to the DELAY clinic. There, the primary focus is on potential late-stage effects.
Not everyone experiences late-stage effects, and not everyone is affected equally. Some people experience many health problems, while others have few or none. Some survivors consider their quality of life good despite the late-stage effects, while others continue to struggle with the consequences of their experiences.
In any case, it's wise to consider whether any symptoms you experience could be related to your disease and treatment. You can read more about late-stage effects here. Please also contact your GP or the LATER clinic.
In addition to all the factors that can affect your health, you may also encounter challenges in your education or work. You can find more information about this here.