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Macmillan and Cancerbackup merged in 2008. Together we provide free, high quality information for people affected by cancer through our publications, website and phone service. Find out more|.
Find out how we produce our information|
This information is for people who have been told they will not recover from their cancer and who may be thinking of passing on memories for their children.
In this situation many people find themselves thinking about the future and grieving for a time when they may no longer be there. This can be particularly difficult if there are children| in the family. It’s often upsetting to think that as time goes by, they may forget how much you loved and cared for them.
It can be difficult for young children to hold on to memories. A memory box can be an important way of passing on memories of treasured times to your children. This information can also be adapted to help you to create a memory box for any loved one.
We also have a section on Coping with advanced cancer|, which you may find helpful.
A memory box is a container to hold special things belonging to you. The things in the box can help a child hold on to memories and build new ones as they get older. Children, depending on their ages, can be involved in building their own memory box.
A memory box can be as simple or elaborate as you like. You can make it from a shoebox, biscuit tin or gift box. Usually, there are people who can give you some helpful ideas and advice if you want it. There may be someone at your local hospice, such as a specialist nurse or an occupational or art therapist, who has a particular interest in memory boxes. If you want help, ask your nurse or doctor for advice.
Some organisations, such as Winston’s Wish| or the Child Bereavement Charity| sell specially made boxes with pockets to hold special objects in place.
This is a really personal choice. Anything that's important to you or your child can go into the memory box. It’s sometimes difficult to know where to start. Here are some suggestions of things other people have put in their boxes:
Some people already have lots of ideas about what they may want to put in their box. Others begin with one or two objects and go back to it now and again to add to it.
The memory box doesn’t need to be finished. It can continue to be filled by your child as they build up their own memories of you.
Grief is not about forgetting the person who has died; it's about finding ways to remember them and take their memory forward. However, it can be difficult for children to hold on to their memories.
Whatever you choose to put into a memory box can be used to tell the child stories of your life. These can be repeated again and again. So even young children can build up a store of memories that they may have been too young to remember by themselves.
Depending on the age of the child, they may want to look through their memory box alone and remember times when you were together. Or they may want to have a parent or relative with them to share the memories.
Some of the memories may make the child laugh or cry. That is all part of the process of remembering the person they have lost. So it’s important that other people who are involved in caring for the child are available to give them support.
You may want to choose family members or close friends as ‘memory holders’ for your child as they grow up. A memory holder can then add to the memories as the child grows and answer any questions they might have about the person who has died.
Creating a memory box can be a sad thing to do. But it can also be satisfying to do something that will help your child to connect with memories of you and the past you shared. It also gives you a chance to reflect on your own memories and may make you laugh as well as cry.
Deciding to make a memory box can feel overwhelming, and it can be difficult to start. You may find it helpful to have a member of your family or a close friend to support you and help you gather the objects you want to put in your box.
Everyone has their own way of coping with difficult situations. Some people find it helpful to talk about their feelings| with their partner, their family or a close friend. Or you may want to talk over your feelings with a specialist nurse, such as a palliative care nurse. The important thing is to do what feels right for you, when it feels right.
Some people also find it helpful to talk about their feelings with a counsellor. You can talk to your specialist doctor or GP about a referral to a specialist nurse, if you don’t have already have one, or to find out where you can get counselling. Our cancer support specialists| can also give you more information about help that’s available.
Winston's Wish| helps children rebuild their lives after the death of a parent or sibling. It offers practical support and guidance to families, professionals and anyone concerned about a grieving child.
Child Bereavement Charity| aims to improve the care offered by professionals to grieving families. It provides specialised training and support for all professionals to enable them to meet the needs of grieving families. They also supply resources and information for families, and the doctors, nurses and other professional people who help them.
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s information development nurses and editorial team. It has been approved by our medical editor, Dr Terry Priestman, Consultant Clinical Oncologist.
For answers, support or just a chat, call the Macmillan Support Line free (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm)
If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.