Devon was diagnosed with cancer at only 18 months. Listen as he talk about the way this experience has shaped his life.

About RMS

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS or “rhabdo”) is a cancerous tumor that develops in the body’s soft tissues, usually the muscles. It can affect the head, neck, bladder, vagina, arms, legs, and trunk. Cells from these tumors are often fast growing and can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Learn more

The Coping Cart at Kosair Children’s Hospital is designed to help ease children’s stress and anxiety. You can donate now through the Children’s Hospital Foundation specifically to the needs and initiatives of the Coping Club.

Natasha is a cancer survivor. Listen to her words of encouragement and find out more on what it is like to deal with cancer.

When the Person With Cancer is You

Chances are you know someone who has had cancer, such as an older relative or someone in a friend’s family. But sometimes cancer affects teens and when the person affected is you, the word cancer takes on a new meaning — one that can feel personal and frightening.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you should know that although it’s unusual for people to have cancer during their teenage years, you’re certainly not alone. The good news is that most teens who get cancer survive and return to their everyday lives. Read on to learn about how to cope if you or someone you know has cancer.

The Coping Cart at Kosair Children’s Hospital is designed to help ease children’s stress and anxiety. You can donate now through the Children’s Hospital Foundation specifically to the needs and initiatives of the Coping Club.

Vanessa’s younger brother Caleb was diagnosed with cancer when he was 13 years old. Watch as Vanessa talks about how she and her family worked through Caleb’s treatment and helped support one another.

Siblings can be many things: friends, allies, role models — and let’s face it, pests. (Of course, it goes without saying that if you’ve got a sibling, you are a sibling!)

But when your sibling has a serious illness, like cancer or autism, it adds another dimension to your relationship — and to your life. You may find yourself juggling some pretty intense and confusing emotions. You’re not alone in feeling this way, and it’s important to take care of yourself during this stressful time. Learn more about how to cope with a sick sibling.

The Coping Cart at Kosair Children’s Hospital is designed to help ease children’s stress and anxiety. You can donate now through the Children’s Hospital Foundation specifically to the needs and initiatives of the Coping Club.

When Caleb was 13 he was diagnosed with cancer. Watch as he talks about his battle and victory and also how he coped with the disease. Also be sure to check out his sister’s video on how she dealt with helping a sibling with cancer.

What Is Cancer?

All kinds of cancer, including childhood cancer, have a common disease process — cells grow out of control, develop abnormal sizes and shapes, ignore their typical boundaries inside the body, destroy their neighbor cells, and can ultimately spread (or metastasize) to other organs and tissues. As cancer cells grow, they demand more and more of the body’s nutrition. Cancer takes a child’s strength, destroys organs and bones, and weakens the body’s defenses against other illnesses. Learn more

The Coping Cart at Kosair Children’s Hospital is designed to help ease children’s stress and anxiety. You can donate now through the Children’s Hospital Foundation specifically to the needs and initiatives of the Coping Club.

Your Online Identity & Knowing Who Are You Online?

If you use the computer to play and talk with friends, you also have an online identity. That means you have an identity that’s related to how you look, what you do, and what you say when you’re using the computer. If you play on Club Penguin and put seven disco balls in your igloo, that says something.

Sites like Club Penguin and Webkinz let you create an avatar — a character that represents you. It’s fun to dress up that character and maybe give it a sense of style you’d never try at school. Would you like a rainbow mohawk hairstyle? It’s yours at the click of a mouse.

Avatar games, instant messaging, and chat rooms also let you choose your own screen name. If you want to be known as King_of_Ketchup, that’s your new name. Maybe your little sister will want to be the Mayor_of_Mustard.

So if you start calling yourself the King of Ketchup, does that mean you really like ketchup? Should you tell your new online friends how much you love ketchup and all the foods you like to top with ketchup? That’s up to you, but it brings up a good point: How much should you share about your real self online? Read more

The Coping Cart at Kosair Children’s Hospital is designed to help ease children’s stress and anxiety. You can donate now through the Children’s Hospital Foundation specifically to the needs and initiatives of the Coping Club.