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The impact of a serious paediatric illness: emotional and financial burden

April 30, 2024.- Travelling to the hospital on a daily basis, changing your place of residence to be close to a hospitalised child, having breakfast, lunch and dinner every day at the hospital, possible adaptations at home to meet the new needs of the patient, adapted transport… The illness of a child represents not only a great emotional shock for families, it also changes their dynamics and forces them to take on new and important financial expenses. This can be difficult to afford for many families who, as well as this, in many cases must reduce their working hours or even quit their job to be able to care for their sick children and continue supporting the family.


The Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare estimates that the average cost of treating childhood cancer (the most impactful childhood illness) can exceed 40,000 euros per year. It is a financial burden that includes direct expenses such as diagnostic tests, a possible change of residence, adapted transportation, nursing expenses, adapting the house and special care at home, among others. To this we must add indirect expenses, such as loss of income due to the inability to work while caring for the child or those which stem from the emotional impact associated with stress, anxiety and depression of both the patient and the family.

Taking on this financial burden is an impossible notion for many families. In fact, according to data from the Spanish Federation of Parents of Children with Cancer (FEPNC), 80% of families who have a child with a serious, long-term illness face significant financial difficulties. Although there are financial allowances for parents who need to reduce their working hours to dedicate themselves to the care of minors affected by serious illnesses, in many cases they are not enough. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of the cost of the illness is taken on by the family, who are already immersed in a stressful situation, with all their attention and efforts focused on caring for the young person.

To offer support in this, the Xana Foundation provides economic and emotional assistance through a comprehensive support programme for families that has several lines of action and whose objective is to reduce the financial and emotional burden of the affected families. With this financial support, accommodation expenses, trips to the hospital, therapy, emotional support and other logistical services are covered.

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