Two brothers wear their Chelsea FC shirts as they visit the famous football stadium

Mental health is something we all have. It shapes the way we think, feel and experience the world around us, and can influence how we cope with challenges, build relationships and get through everyday life.

Supporting the mental wellbeing of the families we work with is incredibly important to us. We know that when a family is told their child has cancer or a life-challenging condition, life changes very quickly. The emotional impact affects not only the child who is unwell, but parents and siblings too.  

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are shining a spotlight on some of the incredible siblings we support – the often-unseen young people whose lives are deeply affected when a brother or sister becomes seriously ill.

Our recent Momentum survey found that 67% of siblings experience significant emotional strain when a brother or sister is seriously ill. Encouragingly, 84% reported an improvement in their emotional wellbeing when Momentum was there to support them as well.

We have been hearing from some of the siblings we support, who have been sharing their experiences and what has helped them during particularly tough times.

Talking about his brother Howard’s cancer, Charlie, 17, said: “When I first heard about Howard’s treatment, my first reaction was guilt. I felt guilty that he couldn’t play sport and do all the usual things he loved, whilst I was winning events and was fit, and healthy.  I felt alone and guilty. Mum would ask me how I was doing, and I would always say I was ok, as I knew she had so much going on.”

Freddie’s brother, Charlie, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 11 months old and Freddie has grown up alongside Charlie’s illness. Freddie, 11, shared: “When Charlie had to take time off school because of his illness, I found it particularly difficult trying to get through the day without him. When he was in hospital, it was just as hard – although we would FaceTime, it was upsetting to see him looking so unwell. Being separated was tough, and I often felt sad that I couldn’t be with him in person.”

Talking about how Momentum has helped him through some difficult times, Freddie added: “Momentum organised music therapy, which has really helped me. I was able to take time out of lessons to attend, and I had the chance to explore and learn different instruments, including the violin, ukulele, guitar, piano, and drums. It gave me a way to express myself, away from everything going on at home.”

Talking about his brother Andrew, who very sadly died, Thomas said: “It was really hard losing Andrew because I grew up with him and then, all of a sudden, he wasn’t there anymore.  I keep as many pictures of Andrew as I can, because sometimes just looking at those pictures can help. I didn’t feel alone when he died because I knew that Mum and Dad were feeling the same. I had a lot of friends who were really kind to me as well, one in particular who had known Andrew very well, and I felt that he understood a little bit of how I was feeling.  It helped to talk to my teachers who remembered Andrew when he was at school, and they would talk to me about him. Momentum arranged for Posey to come around every week and do art with me, which I really enjoyed.”

Momentum supports siblings through one-to-one sessions with Family Support Workers, sibling meet-ups, tailored therapies and counselling, and bereavement support when a child sadly dies.  We’re raising £15,000 to expand this support so more children can get help when they need it most.

Find out more about how you can help make a difference here