Did I Do Something Wrong?

If you or someone you love has cancer, you might have a quiet worry inside you: Did I do something to cause this?

Here is the most important thing on this whole website:

No. You did not.

The things kids sometimes worry about

Some kids think cancer came from:

• a bump on the head
• a bad thought or a mean thing they said
• not eating their vegetables
• being "bad" or getting in trouble

None of these cause cancer. Not one. Doctors who study cancer their whole lives know that kids do not do anything to cause it. It is not a punishment. It did not happen because of anything you thought, said, wished, or did.

Why does cancer happen, then?

A lot of the time, even the smartest doctors don't know exactly why one person gets cancer and another doesn't. It's not because of something anyone did wrong. It just happens sometimes, the way some things in life just happen.

If you still feel bad

Sometimes a worry sticks around even after someone tells you it's not your fault. That's normal. If that happens, tell a grown-up you trust how you're feeling. They can remind you — as many times as you need — that this was never, ever your fault.

You are allowed to stop carrying that worry. It was never yours to carry.