🧸 Kids' Corner
Can You Catch Cancer?
No. You can't catch cancer from anyone. You can hug, play with, and sit next to a person with cancer and be totally safe.
When you catch a cold, you might have gotten it from someone who sneezed near you. Colds and the flu are contagious — that means they can spread from person to person through germs.
Cancer is different
Cancer is not contagious. You cannot catch it from anyone, ever. Here's why. Cancer isn't caused by germs. It starts inside one person's own cells. And it can't jump to another person.
That means it is completely safe to:
- hug someone with cancer
- play with a friend who has cancer
- sit next to them, share a book, or eat lunch together
Why this matters
Sometimes kids feel a little scared to be close to a friend or family member with cancer, because they think they might catch it. Now you know the truth: you can't.
Your friend with cancer needs the same things everyone needs. They need someone to talk to, laugh with, and just be normal with. Being a good friend is one of the kindest things you can do. And it won't make you sick at all.
Hard words on this page
- Contagious
- Something you can catch from another person, like a cold or the chickenpox. Cancer is NOT contagious.
- Germs
- Tiny things that can spread colds and flu. Cancer is not caused by germs.