Introduction. Cancerous diseases constitute a group of over 200 various cancerous morbid entities. The most plentiful group are cases of leukaemia, where acute lymphoblastic leukaemia occur most frequently. Attending an ailing child on an every-day basis is an extremely hard experience for the parents who at the same time show enormous understanding, sensitivity and empathy, even though results of treatment cannot be foreseen up to the very end. A feeling of stress and fear which the sick child’s parents experience accompanies them throughout the entire process of treatment, and usually till their dying day. Aim. The aim of the research was to define the level of stress and fear accompanying parents of children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Material and methods. A diagnostic survey was a research method. The research instrument consisted in an anonymous survey questionnaire and a standardised questionnaire – Stress Assessment Questionnaire developed by K. Wrześniewski, A. Jakubowska-Winecka and D. Włodarczyk. 100 parents were covered by the study, including 75 mothers and 25 fathers of children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, treated at the Children’s Oncology and Haematology Ward at the Władysław Buszkowski Regional Specialist Children’s Hospital in Kielce. Results. The feeling of danger was slightly higher among men than among women and younger parents. More frequently women than men resigned from work due to the child’s illness. 22% of parents used the advice of a psychologist during a child’s illness. The most aggravated fear of the child was chemotherapy (60%). Parents who experienced a strong fear of their child’s life (61.1%) were more likely to resign from work. Conclusions. The parents perceive their child’s illness as a challenge-activity and threat. The child’s cancerous disease make the parents feel enormous fear. Parents of children suffering from cancer endeavour to manage the stress in many various ways, women more often choose prayers, relaxation at home and passiveness, while men prefer other forms. Other people’s support is of indisputable importance to the parents.

Key words: stress, anxiety, parents, children, leukemia.