Each year 200 children and adolescents in Denmark are diagnosed with cancer. Over recent decades the increased understanding of cancer biology, improved surgery and chemotherapy, and generally intensified treatment, have resulted in 5-year survival rates above 80% [
1‐
3]. However, the disadvantages of this improvement include severe acute and late effects [
2‐
4], often involving isolation for long periods of time, both when in hospital and at home. This isolation reduces participation in activities with peers at school and in sporting activities [
1,
5,
6]. As a result, important social interactions and the natural development of social skills with classmates are disrupted [
5,
6]. Following diagnosis, children are absent from school for an average of 85 days [
7] during the first 12 to 18 months, and 3 years after diagnosis their school attendance is still irregular and many fail classes [
8,
9]. Childhood and adolescent cancer survivors report being bullied, feeling isolated [
10‐
13], and having few or no friends [
14‐
16]. Although register-based data show that they achieve the expected educational level post-treatment [
17], such data do not address social and physical functioning [
18‐
20]. Attending school may help provide normality, continuity, and security, in an abnormal life situation [
21]. Few intervention studies have addressed children’s reentry into school during and following treatment. Being able to participate in normal school activities with peers includes being physically active. However, very few studies have been published on physical activity in children with cancer [
22‐
24]. These studies have in general been burdened by the diversity of exercise and outcome measurements, and/or limited duration of the interventions [
22,
24‐
26]. Overall, the published studies have shown that children with cancer are less physically active and have decreased muscle strength, balance, and cardiovascular condition compared with peers, both during and following treatment [
8,
16,
26,
27]. The few studies carried out during treatment show that it is possible to improve children’s physical functioning, both during and following treatment [
23].
The burden of the disease, and body modifications resulting from treatment and reduced physical activity, may lead to lower self-esteem and emotional well-being, and compromised social relationships, which negatively influence the quality of life for children with cancer [
12,
13,
28,
29]. However, it is unclear to what extent this is related to the disease and treatment burden, the child’s learning difficulties, physical decline, or changes in social position [
30‐
32].
Importantly, none of the intervention studies address the potential effects of early rehabilitation from the time of diagnosis as a tool to maintain the children’s social network during treatment [
28,
30,
32]. The Rehabilitation including Social and Physical activity and Education for Children and Teenagers with Cancer (RESPECT) study is inspired by Erving Goffman’s symbolic interaction theory [
33‐
35], Thomas Scheff’s theory and concepts of emotional and social bonds [
36,
37], and Venka Simovska’s definition of interactive processes and empowerment [
38].
The overall purpose of the RESPECT study is to examine whether involving healthy classmates at the hospital from the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment will improve the educational, physical, and social performance of children with cancer and facilitate their reentry into everyday life following treatment.