Pappas PACT Program

Support for parents with cancer

The National Cancer Institute estimates that one out of every four adults diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. has a child under 18. Being a parent is especially complicated when you are dealing with the physical and emotional demands of cancer. 

Join our Parent Support Group

The Pappas PACT program

Parenting at a Challenging Time

• Free of charge to all parents in treatment or care at the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley
• Designed for parents raising children up to age 24
• Grandparents and/or guardians raising children in their homes also eligible

During your Pappas PACT appointment, you will meet with a child and adolescent clinician with expertise in child development, family communication, and coping.  During the visit you’ll receive guidance on how to:

• Explain and discuss your illness and treatment with your children
• Support comfortable, honest, and child-centered communication
• Address common parenting concerns and questions
• Promote resilience of the whole family, such as protecting family time, minimizing disruption to a child’s routine, and developing additional family supports
• Implement practical strategies to manage everyday challenges including treatment appointments, hospital visits, changes at home and communication with schools and essential people in your children's lives.
• Develop ways to cope with any concerns about your children, including thinking about the future.

What to expect from your PACT visit

During your visit, you’ll meet with one of our PACT team clinicians, all of whom are specialized in child development and parental guidance.

Dr. Julie Van der Feen, M.D.
Director of the Pappas PACT Program, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist  

Dr. Jennifer DelRey, Ph.D.
Pappas PACT Clinician, Child and Adolescent Psychologist

Aimee Lataille, LICSW
Pappas PACT Clinician, Child and Adolescent Social Worker

Your initial meeting with a PACT clinician will last about forty-five minutes. We invite all parents involved in raising children to attend the initial visit together. Other caregivers such as an involved grandparent or nanny are also welcome to join per each family’s preference. The meeting usually takes place via telehealth video from the comfort of your home or office. The visit can also take place on the phone or in coordination with other cancer-center related appointments (such as during a chemotherapy infusion).

Our Pappas PACT clinician will ask questions to learn about you and the other members of your family, as well as your experience with cancer and your specific concerns. We’ll gather information about your children, such as their ages, temperament, behavior, and any worries they might have expressed. At the end of your visit, you’ll be better prepared to:

• Talk with your children about cancer
• Make plans to support your children as they cope with your illness
• Recognize signs that you or your children might need additional help

Some parents choose only one consultation with our team and others opt for follow up visits.

Schedule an appointment

To schedule an appointment, or for more information about the Pappas PACT Program, please call 617-831-7430 or email us at nwhpact@partners.org, or talk to a member of your cancer care team.

The Pappas PACT Program is made possible through the generosity of the Thomas Anthony Pappas Charitable Foundation, whose mission is to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, Newton Wellesley Hospital, and appreciative patients and families.  If you would like to donate to the Pappas PACT program, please visit https://giving.nwh.org/pact. Thank you from all of us at the Pappas PACT Program!

FREE Open Parent Support Group

Every Tuesday at 12 p.m. (starting 11/1/22) we will offer a virtual support group for parents who are undergoing treatment for cancer. This group will help parents connect to provide and receive support around the challenges of raising children.

Topics may include: communication with children regarding the illness and treatment, addressing common questions from children, seeking support, outside resources, coping strategies, etc. To register, click the link below to email the group leader. She will send you the zoom link.  Contact the group leader, Aimee Lataille, MSW LICSW >