Free, Lifetime Support for Pediatric Cancer Families

Childhood cancer and its treatment can affect far more than physical health — they can disrupt the motor, sensory, and cognitive skills kids rely on for everyday life, from getting dressed to writing in class to simply feeling steady on their feet. Occupational Therapy at AHF helps children rebuild those skills through purposeful, hands-on activities built around what each child specifically needs.

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Sessions are led by AHF's licensed Occupational Therapists, who work one-on-one with each child to target the functional goals that matter most for their daily life.

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Focus areas include:

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• Motor skills and physical abilities
• Sensory processing
• Visual-perceptual skills
• Cognitive function
• Developmental delays
• Independence in daily activities

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For children, the impact of cancer and its treatment doesn't end when treatment does. Extended hospital stays, surgery, and certain treatments can disrupt development at exactly the stage when a child's body and brain are working hardest to grow. Without targeted support, those gaps in motor, sensory, and cognitive skills can follow a child well into the classroom, the playground, and daily life at home. Occupational Therapy meets that need early, helping kids catch up developmentally, build real independence, and step back into daily life with confidence.

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Childhood cancer and its treatment can affect the brain in ways that aren't always visible from the outside. Neurocognitive testing gives AHF's multidisciplinary team the clearest possible picture of how a child's brain is actually working — memory, attention, problem-solving, language, and more — so every other service we offer, from academic advocacy to counseling, is built around exactly what a child needs.

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Each evaluation is led by a licensed psychologist, who sits down with caregivers afterward to walk through what the results actually mean for that specific child. Together with the clinical team, they turn those findings into real next steps — the right accommodations, the right therapies, and goals that reflect exactly where that child is right now.

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Testing is non-invasive and provides a comprehensive look at:

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• Cognitive abilities and IQ
• Attention and memory
• Problem-solving and language skills
• Visual and spatial skills
• Academic skills
• Social-emotional functioning

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This kind of testing is particularly helpful for two groups of children. Those who've undergone chemoradiation face a well-documented risk of cognitive changes — shifts in processing speed, memory, attention, and learning — that often aren't obvious day to day without formal testing. And for patients or siblings who've fallen behind academically, socially, or emotionally because of medical trauma, testing helps the team tell the difference between a temporary setback and a lasting cognitive change, so the right support gets put in place either way.

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Findings directly inform which services a child needs and what kind of support will help most, so every part of their care is built around how their brain actually works.

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Music and art therapy improve children's emotional well-being, stress management, and self-expression

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Music Therapy

Each session is designed to be welcoming and engaging, making children feel comfortable and eager to participate. This approach opens new pathways for learning and growth through music therapy.

Our team works closely with each child, tailoring music experiences to meet their unique needs.

Music therapy has been shown to improve behavior, enhance communication skills, and support development in critical areas like social interaction, emotional expression, motor skills, and mental functioning.

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Art Therapy

Art therapy uses creativity to help individuals and families heal and grow. This allows people to express themselves in ways that words alone can't, aiding with various individual and community concerns.

A licensed clinician leads this process in a safe and supportive setting. They use various materials and techniques like drawing, painting, and sculpting to explore emotions, thoughts, and experiences through art. 

Through creative expression and Therapy, children can enhance their mental and motor skills, boost self-esteem and self-awareness, develop emotional resilience, gain insight, improve social skills, and enhance conflict resolution abilities.

Children facing pediatric cancer often carry stress, anxiety, and fear tied to treatment and hospitalization. Play and therapeutic activities have been shown to significantly reduce that anxiety, giving kids a safe way to express emotions and build coping skills that improve their experience during care.

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Our recreational and diversionary therapy programs include: 

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• Individualized recreational therapy, tailored to each child's age and development
• Diversionary therapy delivered to pediatric cancer patients in hospitals nationwide
• Purposeful play led by in-house clinicians
• Unique, memorable whole-family outings — local sporting events, regional car races, and more — that bring connection, relief, and a sense of normalcy

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Beyond the child, these programs give the whole family a shared space to connect with others who understand their journey — easing isolation and strengthening the social support that's critical to emotional well-being. Play helps kids feel like kids again, eases stress for parents, and builds community, so no family has to face pediatric cancer alone.

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Pediatric cancer often disrupts a child's education — through extended absences, treatment side effects, and cognitive or emotional changes that make learning harder. Childhood cancer survivors face a higher risk of academic delays, attention difficulties, and a tough return to the classroom. Without the right accommodations and advocacy, kids can fall behind academically and socially long after treatment ends.

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Our Academic Coordinator works directly with families and schools — for both the child affected by cancer and their siblings — to build personalized plans that keep kids engaged, confident, and supported in the classroom.

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School-based advocacy and plans:

• Section 504 Plans
• Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
• Student Support Plans (SSP)

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Academic and emotional skill-building:

• Tutoring, on-site or virtual
• Organization and time management skills
• Social-emotional counseling and conflict resolution
• Transition and reintegration planning for returning to school

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The Academic Coordinator also serves as a liaison between families, schools, and care teams — monitoring stress triggers, reducing school-related anxiety, and helping smooth the path back to the classroom, whether after a long absence or a lasting change in routine. Educational advocacy keeps kids on track academically while reducing the long-term learning gaps that cancer and treatment can leave behind.

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At AHF, STEAM isn't confined to a classroom — it's woven throughout the entire healing journey. Kids and teens facing pediatric cancer, and their siblings, experience hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math built into camps, family programs, and AHF's dedicated after-school STEAM Club — all designed to strengthen cognitive growth, emotional regulation, confidence, and exposure to future careers.

STEAM Club, AHF's after-school program, is led by an in-house, certified science educator and follows a themed curriculum aligned to state and national learning standards. Activities are tracked for mastery, so kids build measurable academic skills while having fun.

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Beyond the club, STEAM experiences show up across camps and family events year-round, including:

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• Technology & Robotics — coding, robotics, circuits, and applied physics
• Data & Applied Science — measurement, testing, and data analysis kids can see and touch
• Environmental & Life Sciences — gardening, composting, and plant science
• Art-Integrated Innovation — creative design challenges that fuse art with problem-solving
• Health & Wellness — nutrition, fitness, and understanding how the body works

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Like every program at AHF, STEAM experiences are completely free, open to patients, survivors, and siblings alike.

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Children and families facing pediatric cancer often feel isolated, stressed, and overwhelmed — even when treatment is going well. Our Family Programs give kids, teens, and parents a place to connect with others who truly understand what they're going through, while having fun, building confidence, and recharging together.

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Programs include:

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• Week-long day camps
• Single-Day camps
• Teen Nights and Young Adult Nights

• Parents Day Out
• Sibling activities and events

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It's diversionary therapy disguised as fun! Our trained clinicians use games, crafts, and STEM-based activities as a way to build fine motor and critical thinking skills, while kids and teens form real friendships with others who understand the cancer journey.

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Family Programs are open to any child affected by pediatric cancer — patients, survivors, and siblings alike. These shared experiences help families build resilience, cope with the stress that comes with a cancer diagnosis, and stay connected to community, not just during treatment, but well beyond it. And for parents and caregivers, the programs offer something just as valuable: a few hours of rest, knowing their child is having fun in good hands.

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A childhood cancer diagnosis doesn't just affect the body — it reshapes the emotional world of an entire family. Families facing pediatric cancer experience significantly higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population, and that toll often outlasts treatment itself.

We provide free, lifetime counseling for every family member, including:

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• Individual counseling
• Family counseling
• Grief counseling
• Marriage counseling
• Group counseling

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Care is tailored to each family's needs, led by licensed mental health professionals, and coordinated with community providers for comprehensive care. Counseling is linked to better adherence to treatment and medication regimens, meaning children are more likely to make it to appointments and take medications as prescribed when their whole family has support.

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Childhood cancer and its treatment can affect fine motor skills, working memory, focus, and impulse control. Industrial Arts Therapy gives kids and teens a hands-on way to rebuild those skills through real trade work — tightening a bolt, threading a wire, building something with their own hands. Each small success becomes a meaningful step toward recovery.

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Participants work with real tools and materials across:

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• Woodworking and fabrication
• Welding
• Automotive repair and small engine work
• Hands-on engineering and design challenges

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Hatch's Garage is the program's signature initiative, where children and their families work hands-on to design, build, and restore custom vehicles, alongside a rotating collection of donated cars restored through the program. Every vehicle, custom-built or donated, is ultimately auctioned, with proceeds going directly back into AHF's mission.

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Beyond the immediate therapeutic benefits, these hands-on experiences open doors to real career pathways in skilled trades, engineering, and advanced manufacturing — helping kids build not just confidence today, but a vision for life beyond treatment.

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Our Healthy Lifestyle division educates kids on making healthy choices. This reduces their risk of getting cancer in the future. We focus on four critical areas: eating well, not using tobacco/vaping, being active/exercising, and protecting yourself from the sun. These areas are linked to about 65% of adult cancer cases.

One of our main programs is "Fueling Potential: Racing to Win,” a program for kids from Kindergarten to 5th grade. We compare our bodies to race cars to teach four key lessons. Kids learn about choosing healthy foods, exercising to stay strong, avoiding tobacco/vaping for better health, and using sun protection. Our certified teachers run this program in schools and at community events. It's a fun and effective way to learn.

Our program empowers children with knowledge about healthy habits to reduce future health risks.

Pediatric cancer treatments can take a heavy toll on a developing brain, often causing long-term challenges with focus, processing speed, and memory. Cogmed is an evidence-based, digital therapeutic designed to reverse these "late effects" and help children get their lives back on track.

How It Works

Cogmed combines advanced neuroscience with adaptive video game design. Over a 5-to-12-week course, children complete targeted challenges that adapt in real time to their unique abilities, pushing the brain to build stronger, more efficient neural networks.

Proven Outcomes

• Restored Focus & Attention: Reverses the fog of "chemo-brain," allowing children to sustain attention in the classroom.
• Academic Acceleration: Measurably improves the working memory required for complex math, reading comprehension, and following multi-step instructions.
• Family-Centered Support: Every patient is paired with a certified coach to guide, motivate, and support the family throughout the entire journey.

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Through Cogmed, we help survivors rediscover their confidence and build brighter futures.

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Read more: https://www.cogmed.com/working-memory/research

Cogmed is a trademark of Neural Assembly Int and can be licensed for professional use by clinics via your nearest Pearson Clinical office. Read more on pearson.com

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