Valley mother writes book to help discuss cancer with children
Valley mother writes book to help discuss cancer with children
Cancer is a tough topic to talk about. It's difficult for the person diagnosed and the family members supporting the patient, especially kids who might not understand what is going on or why. A Valley mom took her experience and wrote a book in an effort to help.
PHOENIX - Cancer is a tough topic to talk about. It's difficult for the person diagnosed and the family members supporting the patient, especially kids who might not understand what is going on or why. A Valley mom took her experience and wrote a book in an effort to help.
Tiffany Williford never really has aspirations of becoming an author. She never intended to write a children's book, especially not about cancer, but when she had to tell her daughter that "daddy had an owie," Williford found a purpose.
"My daughter was really young and I was really confused like what do I say, like how do I explain this, how do I, you know, to her level, how do I explain whats' going on so that she understands," said Tiffany Williford, author of "Daddy Has an Owie."
Just over three years ago, Tiffany's late husband, Demetrius, was diagnosed with cancer. As her daughter grew up, he got sicker.
"I was spending like hours researching online and trying to find books in the library trying to figure out like different groups," said Tiffany.
Unable to find a way to help her oldest understand, Williford took matters into her own hands, writing "Daddy Has an Owie" and "Mommy Has an Owie."
"I didn't want to say too much and I didn't want to say too little, I didn't want to like make her scared but I also didn't want to make her feel like I was hiding something," explained Tiffany.
Instead, it was all there in black and white, the colorful illustrations a kid-friendly way to explain an all too often pain of losing a parent.
"I would love for no parent to have to wonder what to say," says Tiffany. "I would love this overabundance of inventory where I can say oh you're going through this here's a book."