Devon was diagnosed with cancer at only 18 months. Listen as he talk about the way this experience has shaped his life.
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
Natasha is a cancer survivor. Listen to her words of encouragement and find out more on what it is like to deal with cancer.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
Deontay has Hodgkin lymphoma cancer. Is this segment he talks about getting his treatment at Kosair Children’s Hospital and the things that he enjoys while being at the hospital. Hodgkin disease, or Hodgkin lymphoma, is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
Decades of pediatric expertise, comprehensive treatment and support services make Kosair Children’s Hospital an excellent choice for the treatment of all forms of childhood and adolescent cancers. Their multidisciplinary approach to children’s care integrates the efforts of many specialists in cancer, including oncologists, surgeons, nurses, social workers, chaplains and pharmacists. Learn more about the unique features for fighting cancer at Kosair Children’s Hospital.
Callie shows some breathing techniques and ways to cope with Vocal Chord Dysfunction (VCD) and Stress. Callie’s VCD was a result of her asthma.
People who have asthma might cough or wheeze, two sounds that come from the lungs. Be sure to tell a parent or check with your doctor anytime your breathing is unusually noisy or you have trouble breathing. Learn more about asthma and the sounds, signs, and symptoms at the Asthma Center.
Callie talks about ways that she has learned to cope with stress. Her vocal chord dysfunction was significantly affected by her levels of stress. Listen to how she has learned to harness her stress levels.
Everybody gets stressed from time to time. Different people feel stress in different ways. Some ways of dealing with stress — like screaming, hitting someone, or punching a wall — don’t solve much. But other ways, like talking to someone you trust, can start you on the road to solving your problem or at least feeling better. Also, try taking these five steps the next time you are stressed.
Megan talks with us at a cancer survivorship event about coping with a brain tumor.
A tumor is any mass caused by abnormal or uncontrolled growth of cells. Tumors in the brain are categorized according to several factors, including where they’re located, the type of cells involved, and how quickly they’re growing. Learn more about what causes brain tumors and what signs and symptoms are.
Kristen is 18 years old and is on her fourth treatment of chemotherapy. In this segment she talks about what it was like to lose her hair and how she copes with it.
Most children with ALL are treated with chemotherapy (the use of special drugs to kill cancer cells). What drugs are used and in what combination will depend on which subtype of ALL is present and how aggressive the disease is.
Chemotherapy can be given intravenously as an injection into a muscle or orally in pill form. In intrathecal (IT) chemotherapy, a spinal tap is used to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to the cerebrospinal fluid, where cancerous WBCs can collect.
Kristen is 18 years old and has acute myeloid leukemia. Because of her condition she often has to stay in the hospital for treatment for weeks on end. In this video she discusses what her treatments are like and how she deals with spending so much time in the hospital. From amazing nurses to a solid support group of friends and family, Kristen is able to remain positive and optimistic in spite of her illness.
Kristen is 18 years old and has acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the body’s white blood cells (WBCs).
Normally, WBCs help fight infection and protect the body against disease. But in leukemia, WBCs turn cancerous and multiply when they shouldn’t, resulting in too many abnormal WBCs, which then interfere with organ function.
Thanks to advances in therapy and clinical trials, the outlook for kids with AML is promising. With treatment, most are cured.
Learn more: About Leukemia | Causes | Signs and Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Coping
Kristen is 18 years old and is undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This type of leukemia affects 20% of kids with this cancer of the blood cells. Watch as Kristen demonstrates going through her treatments and administering her shots.
Treatment is divided into two phases. The goal of the first phase, called induction, is to kill as many cancer cells as possible and achieve remission (a state where there is no evidence of disease in the body). The second phase (called post-remission, consolidation, or continuation therapy) is designed to eliminate any remaining leukemia cells.
Nashawnte is a 9 year old diagnosed with pancreatitis. When her pancreatitis flairs up she has a lot of pain and has to go to the hospital. Sometimes she has to have an NJ tube inserted which requires sedation. She’s SCARED of sedation but has been working very hard to overcome her fears! Learn more [...]
Cody has cancer and also has had a hard tough taking his medication. He has to swallow many large pills for his medication. While this has been difficult, Cody has learned some tips and ways to help get him used to swallowing medicine. Watch as Cody walks through a few different techniques. You can also [...]
Tyler’s gives tips and advice to kids and parents who are going through divorce. Divorce is stressful for parents and kids alike. Although reactions will depend on a child’s age, temperament, and the circumstances surrounding the split, many kids feel sad, frustrated, angry, and anxious — and it’s not uncommon for them to act out because [...]
