Severe illnesses that take on life-threatening proportions or significantly diminish quality of life cannot be adequately addressed by a purely medical perspective. This is especially true when children are affected by such illnesses, for example, when suffering from cancer. The child with cancer and their surroundings attempt to approach the topic from different perspectives. The spectrum ranges from a medical and a historically critical assessment to the medical and psychological education of parents or other guardians, as well as specific options and aspects of psychological and psychotherapeutic support for both the patients and their environment. This social environment is often easily overlooked but is frequently significantly affected by a child's cancer diagnosis. This also includes the educational aspect.