Life After Childhood Cancer: You Don't Have to Do It Alone
Childhood cancer survivors come together through Faros de Vida to share experiences, form friendships, and support one another.
I remember well the day my treatment ended. On the outside, everything seemed fine. But inside, I had many questions. “What happens now?” and “How do I go back to everyday life?”
Many childhood cancer survivors in Latin America feel the same way. Treatment may heal the body, but life after treatment brings many questions that can be hard to answer. Going back to school, finding a job, managing anxiety, or simply figuring out who you are after cancer can feel overwhelming.
Over time, I learned something important: I did not have to walk this path alone.
A shared experience
When I met other survivors, I discovered that many of us had the same questions. We shared similar experiences, fears, and challenges. Having support from people who truly understand what it means to have had childhood cancer changed the way I faced this new stage of my life.
And our experience is not unique.
A recent study by the Latin American Consortium of Childhood Cancer Survivors confirmed something many of us already knew: Childhood cancer survivors in Latin America still face major challenges.
More than 60% of survivors reported symptoms related to anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. Many also said they had limited information about important parts of their health, such as fertility and possible late effects of treatment. In addition, many survivors lack regular access to follow-up care or emotional support.
These findings show that finishing treatment does not mean that all needs go away. Survivorship also requires information, support, and spaces where survivors can learn from one another.
That is why Faros de Vida (Beacons of Hope in Spanish) was created. Faros de Vida is a peer support network for childhood cancer survivors in Latin America. It connects survivors so they can learn from one another, share experiences, and build a supportive community.
No one understands a survivor better than another survivor.
Finding answers together
One of the best ways to face this stage of life is by building a community of survivors. The focus is not on the disease. It is on people and the future we want to build.
Through Faros de Vida, we create spaces where survivors can share experiences, learn, and support one another.
These meetings, workshops, and survivor gatherings are about more than getting together. They create connections among people who share similar experiences and challenges, making life after cancer feel less lonely.
Members of Faros de Vida during their first in-person gathering in Guadalajara, Mexico, where survivors built a strong peer support community.
The network offers:
- Talks with experts: Specialists help us learn how to care for our health over the long term, using clear, easy-to-understand language.
- Emotional wellness workshops: We talk about challenges that can come after treatment and learn about tools to help us manage them.
- Survivor gatherings: We share advice about returning to school, starting work, and facing challenges in everyday life.
One of the things that makes me most proud is seeing more survivors take an active role in conversations about our future. Today, we work with international organizations to make sure the needs of childhood cancer survivors in Latin America are heard and considered.
But the most important change still happens among us. It happens when one survivor supports another and shows them that moving forward is possible.
Supporting other survivors
If you are reading this article because you are a survivor or because you support someone who is, I want you to know that there is a place for you.
We are forming new groups in countries across Latin America, and we would love for you to be part of this community. It does not matter if you have many questions or simply want to listen. Your story can help someone else, too.
No one understands a survivor better than another survivor.
Surviving cancer is a huge achievement. But learning how to live after cancer is a journey we do not have to take alone.
To learn more about Faros de Vida, visit Faros de vida LATAM or email redsobrevivientesglobal@gmail.com.
Read the research paper
Izurieta‐Pacheco AC, Noyd DH, Challinor J, et al. Childhood Cancer survivors in Latin America: Insights into health outcomes and information needs. Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 2025;72(9):e31833. doi:10.1002/pbc.31833
