A Child's guide to Radiotherapy

One of a Kind - A Childs Guide to Radiotherapy, a film to explain radiotherapy to children and families who are entering the hospital for cancer treatment.

Radiotherapy is a treatment where high-energy radiation, such as x-rays, is directed towards parts of the body to kill cancer cells. There are a few reasons why a child might receive radiotherapy, including to:

make tumours smaller before surgery – known as neoadjuvant radiotherapy

kill cancer cells near the site of the tumour to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back – known as adjuvant radiotherapy

alleviate symptoms if they cannot be cured of their cancer – known as palliative radiotherapy

This film shares the journey through the radiotherapy process with real experiences and advice from 5 children going through the radiotherapy process for cancers in different parts of the body. They meet the play specialist, meet the mould room technician to have a radiotherapy mask or beanbag made to hold them still, have little tattoo's, go for MRI and CT scans with radiographers, before their oncologist makes a plan. When everything is ready, radiotherapy begins. Children have to return to the hospital a number of times during a number of weeks to have radiotherapy to target cancer cells.

Commissioned by NHS Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Oxford and Southampton in 2010.
Directed by Emma Lazenby, produced by Aardman animations. It is used around the world to educate children and families about radiotherapy.

www.formedfilms.co.uk

00:00. Introduction
00:55. radiotherapy mask
01:45. radiotherapy mould/bean bag
01:58. radiotherapy tattoo
02:19. CT scanner
02.42. Making a plan
03:00. Radiotherapy machine
04:05. Experiences of radiotherapy
04:50. Outro and credits