How does a father feel when his child has been diagnosed with cancer?

The moment you receive the news that your own child is suffering from a serious illness such as cancer is breathtaking. In an instant, the whole world turns into a whirlwind of emotions, from fear and helplessness to anger and despair. As a father, you see simple joys being replaced by medical concerns and hospital visits. You feel in a constant state of alert, constantly searching for solutions and clinging to any hope of seeing your child healthy again. In the midst of this storm, you find yourself strengthened by your steadfast love for your family and your faith in God, who offers you spiritual refuge.

Main ideas:

• The father feels a deep shock, feeling his whole world collapse the moment he hears the diagnosis.
• Beyond despair, she finds strength through faith in God and the support of community.
• Prioritising the child and the family becomes the only goal, generating an unwavering will to fight.

Shock and hope: How has my daughter’s cancer diagnosis changed me?

The day I found out our daughter, Theoris, had cancer, I felt my whole world crumble. It was a mixture of shock, fear and helplessness. Looking at our little girl, who was just beginning to discover the world, I couldn’t accept that such a nightmare was happening to us. In those moments of despair, I still found a glimmer of hope in my faith and love for our family. We realized that no matter how hard the fight, we would do everything possible to see our little girl healthy again.

The cry in the night: An unexpected sign and our journey to the hospital

I’ll never forget the night the quiet of our home was shattered by the desperate cry of our little boy, Yustin. It was four o’clock in the morning, and he, agitated and feverish, cried, “Help, mother!” with a force that made me startle myself out of my computer. We assumed she had a nightmare and that moment pushed us to go to the hospital in Bucharest with both children. Now, looking back, I wonder if Yustin’s shout was a sign, a warning that we were about to start an uphill battle.

Inner Struggle

I felt like I was in a nightmare, I felt like I wasn’t living those moments, I just couldn’t believe this was happening to us. I couldn’t conceive of such a scenario. I was thinking about what we had done to deserve this, as no one else in our family had been diagnosed with cancer. We had no sins so great that we deserved such suffering.

As a father, your first reaction is to try to be strong for your family. You tell yourself you have to be the pillar of support for your child and your wife, but your heart is broken into a thousand pieces. You dare to smile, to be optimistic, but inside you are plagued by insecurity and fear of the unknown. You ask yourself hundreds of questions that no one can answer with certainty: Why did this happen? How will we get over it? Will he be okay?

Strength By Faith

In those moments of despair, faith in God was my refuge. In every prayer, I asked for strength and guidance. We felt that divinity sent us angels on earth – devoted doctors, good people who offered us financial and emotional support. I was leaning on that belief… I told myself that we are not alone and that, through divine will and help, we would find the path to healing.

The power of the Community

Another crucial aspect that sustained me was the solidarity of the community. I was amazed at how many people, even those I didn’t know, offered their help. Every contribution, every message of encouragement, every prayer has given us the strength to move forward. The Theoris Association, which Simona and I founded out of a desire to help other families in similar situations, has become a beacon of hope. We fully understand the pain and uncertainty that these parents are going through and want no one to feel alone in this struggle.

Children’s Smiles – The Reason We Fight

Every smile from Theoris recharges my batteries. I see in her little eyes an unimaginable courage and will to live. I remember what we are fighting for and why we need to be strong – for her and for Yustin. There is no greater price than the health and happiness of our children. I want to tell all parents to love and cherish their children with all their hearts. Make them crave, bring smiles to their faces, childhood is a wonderful gift and we should enjoy every moment when they are in this period of their lives. Children are our greatest treasure, and no matter how stressful everyday life is, remember that your little ones are waiting for you at home. Enjoy life’s little joys and give your children all the love and attention they deserve.

Hope for the Future

As hard as it is, we always think that every day is a step forward. We live in faith that Theoris will beat this disease. The world can be a better place if we work together, support each other and remember to pray. Faith, hope and community turn darkness into light, and we parents will continue to fight tirelessly for our children. The Theoris Association is the manifestation of this belief and desire to help. Together, we can make a difference and bring hope into the lives of those who need it most.