# Pickles Group

Peer groups for children and teens ages 6–18 whose parent or guardian has cancer, including ongoing groups for advanced illness and after a parent’s death.

Author: Kevin Wimer
Canonical URL: https://kevinwimer.com/cancer/organizations/pickles-group/
Stable ID: dca3dca8-9b4a-40ba-b5e2-029e671d11e2
Revision: 3732b8d1-fe9d-4909-b91f-30a28d93e0df
Published: 2026-10-26T00:34:29.729Z
Updated: 2026-10-26T00:34:29.729Z
Reviewed: 2026-10-25

## Who this is for
For children and teens ages 6–18 whose parent or guardian has cancer, including advanced illness and bereavement; group fit and enrollment are confirmed by Pickles Group.

Pickles Group is a nonprofit focused on kids and teens living through a parent or guardian’s cancer. It works across cancer types.

## What it offers

- Connect Over Cancer: a five-week virtual group for ages 6–18, with activities and peer connection around a parent’s diagnosis.
- Pickles Jars: monthly groups during the school year, with separate support for young people facing a parent’s complex or advanced cancer and those whose parent died from cancer.
- A Family Cancer Support Kit in English and Spanish to help families talk about cancer with children.

## How to start and what it costs

Use the youth enrollment page or contact the team to ask which group fits your child. A care provider can also refer a family with permission. As of October 2026, Pickles lists these youth programs and the support kit as free.

The organization describes its programs as nationwide in the U.S.; ask about upcoming sessions, space, age-group placement and any location restrictions before enrolling. These are peer-support programs, rather than a replacement for a child’s individual mental-health care.

## Other support here

For adult support groups or eligible individual counseling, see [CancerCare](/cancer/organizations/cancercare/). For an adult caregiver’s own mentor, see [Imerman Angels](/cancer/organizations/imerman-angels/).

## Questions I would ask

- Which program fits my child’s age and our family’s situation?
- How do you group children by age and by what is happening at home?
- What does participation involve for the child and parent?
- Is there a wait for the next group?

## Contacts

- Website: [Pickles Group](https://www.picklesgroup.org/)
- Program details: [Youth programs](https://www.picklesgroup.org/youth-programs)
- Get started: [Youth enrollment](https://www.picklesgroup.org/youth-enrollment)
- Email: contact@picklesgroup.org

## Limits and context
Program information checked in October 2026. Session dates, available places and age-group placement vary. Peer support is not individual therapy; confirm any location restrictions with the organization.

## Relationships and disclosures
I have no financial or business relationship with Pickles Group.

## Sources
- [Youth programs](https://www.picklesgroup.org/youth-programs) — Pickles Group; official; checked 2026-10-25; Youth peer-support program format, age groups and current enrollment paths.
- [Programs, audience and referral routes](https://www.picklesgroup.org/picklesclinicians) — Pickles Group; official; checked 2026-10-25; National nonprofit; U.S. nationwide families; ages 6–18; all cancer types; five-week virtual Connect Over Cancer; monthly advanced-illness/bereavement Pickles Jars; referral with permission; no charge as of October 2026.
- [Family kit and youth support](https://www.picklesgroup.org/) — Pickles Group; official; checked 2026-10-25; Family Cancer Support Kit available in English and Spanish, digital or hard copy, without charge as of October 2026; children and teens affected by a parent/guardian cancer.

Organization website: https://www.picklesgroup.org/

Organization type: Nonprofit

Services: Peer support, Family & caregivers, Grief & loss

Community focus: Children and teens ages 6–18, Children of parents with cancer, Bereaved children and teens

Information/access: [Explore youth enrollment](https://www.picklesgroup.org/youth-enrollment)

Supported regions: United States

Service status: available

## Company facts
- **Who it supports:** Children and teens ages 6–18 whose parent or guardian has cancer. (Sources: providers)
- **Grief support:** Pickles Jars includes groups for children whose parent died from cancer. (Sources: providers)
- **Cost:** Programs and family support kit listed as free, checked October 2026. (Sources: providers, home)

Topics: expert-support, getting-started
Capabilities: patient-support, emotional-support

Related record IDs: 066a26b1-c1e6-49f0-8674-c47cd55e3f90, 8495f0b1-5330-4d85-91eb-64e428e64813

Follow Kevin on X: https://x.com/kevinace

Educational information, not an individualized treatment recommendation.