how would you explain this to a 4 year old

[Jennifer]

I am raising money for charity for kids with cancer. My step-daughter keeps asking me what I"m doing it for. I'm telling her for sick kids. But I don't think the phrase sick kids works, because I dont' want her to think a kid with chicken pox or a kid with a cold is getting them. Her dad tried the whole sick kids who may die because they are very sick. I just wondering if it could be put a different way.

[Aletheia*]

If you decided to tell her or not, she isn't going to understand the concept of cancer anyway. I think it would be safe to just continue saying for "very sick children who don't get to have the childhood they wanted" or whatever you told her the first time. Just let her know you're doing it for a really good cause so those kids can get treatment for their sicknesses, so they can get better. That she'll understand.

[blumemusik♫]

Yeah, like Shannon said, she'd probably get the idea if you say things along the lines of "Very very sick children who might die and never get to grow up." It sounds brutal, but that's what cancer is :/

[George^^]

Well, I'd explain that the children have "a sickness" that you can't catch from others like the cold that prevent them from doing things like play outside, other kids things, etc. And your helping them be able to do those things.

[Skeleton]

I think what others have said is the best way to describe it because if you said it was for children with cancer, it'd caused more questions and she most likely wouldn't understand that so something like very sick children to help them get better or something basic like that, that she would understand would work.

[Le bonheur*]

I personally wouldn't explain what cancer is, or that the children may die, because that might upset her. I'd simply say that you're raising money for the kids who don't feel well (or something along those lines).