Childen's Hospital Boston 300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 355-6000
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Clinical Services (Cancer):
Cancer Care Team
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston medical and support staff work together as a team to treat your child's cancer. Our experts care for children ranging in age from infancy young adults, and we will involve as many specialists as needed to oversee every aspect of your child's health.

During your treatment at Dana-Farber and Children's, you and your child will meet many members of our health care team. Some of the specialists you work closely with include:

  • Your primary oncologist, a doctor or Nurse Practitioner, who completed special training and has extensive experience treating childhood cancer. This doctor will outline and over see all aspects of your child's treatment.
  • Nurses work closely with all members of the team to plan and carry out your child's care. Our nurses are specially certified to treat children with cancer, and they can teach you and your child about procedures, medical terms and medications as well as provide general support.
  • Attending physician, fellows and residents are physicians who work together to manage your child's care. The attending physician is the most senior doctor on the health care team. A fellow is a doctor with advanced training in a specialty. A resident is a doctor with training in pediatrics. The team, which makes rounds on the unit in the morning, will see your child every day and will want to talk with you about how your child's progress.
  • Pediatric specialists from Children's 30 departments of medicine, such as endocrinology, neurology, cardiology and gastroenterology, among others, will provide care for your child on an as-needed basis.
  • Child Life Specialists, unique to pediatric facilities like Children's, offer developmental play as a way to help your child to express fears or concerns and understand the hospital environment. They will provide activities and entertainment, one-on-one or with other patients, and they can also arrange for a tutor through your child's school when your child must stay at the hospital.
  • Resource Specialists, who are available to assist families during hospitalization, with information about services available through the hospital and accommodations such as housing and transportation available in and around the city of Boston.
  • Physician assistants (PAs) are health professionals who practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician. Integral members of the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care stem cell transplantation team, PAs make patient rounds, order and interpret diagnostic tests, perform or assist with therapeutic procedures, provide acute and chronic medical care to patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, and offer supportive social care to patients and families throughout the transplantation process._
  • Registered Dieticians and Diet Technicians provide high-quality nutritional care and arrange for special meals ordered by your child's care takers.
  • Patient and Family Education Specialists will help you and your child understand their disease and treatment.
  • Pastoral Care chaplains representing a variety of faiths, including Islam, Judaism, Protestantism and Roman Catholic, are available 24 hours a day to offer spiritual and emotional support, with sensitivity to families' religious traditions and primary language.
Because each child's cancer experience is different, so is each child's care team. Dana-Farber and Children's will incorporate other healthcare members in your child's care as needed. Some of these specialists include:
  • A Nurse Practitioner, a registered nurse with advanced formal training, may be responsible for your child's care or perform procedures.
  • A Patient Care Coordinator (PCC) may work with you and the nursing staff to arrange any necessary home care needs and supplies before your child leaves the hospital.
  • Physical Therapists may work with your child to help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities from injuries or disease processes.
  • Social workers and psychologists may help your family manage stress related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional.
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