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Four-year-old Adan is a chef in the making – he loves his play kitchen, and one of his favorite activities is taking pretend food and making his parents and older brother Sammy “eat” it. Adan was born with Costello syndrome, a genetic condition caused by a mutation in the HRAS gene which, among other things, means he can only say a few words – but …
Through a new partnership with the Diversity and Health Disparities Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), Children’s Cancer Research Fund will award young investigators the funds to pursue research in childhood cancer disparities, to better understand why children of color experiencing cancer have worse outcomes than white children.
Little Bryce was a perfectly healthy 2-year-old until, out of nowhere, he had a seizure on the morning of July 23, 2021. Bryce wasn’t vocally responding that morning which was very unusual. His older sister heard him making a choking sound and got her mom immediately. “It looked like he was drowning – except there was no water nearby,” said Mary, Bryce’s mom. “Bryce wouldn’t …
The Korab-Miller family have been great supporters of the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund. It all started when Ben Korab decided to fundraise to honor his sister, Nadine, who is currently battling osteosarcoma. Ben incentivized donors by “rucking” in Madison, Wisconsin. Shortly after, Nadine’s parents, David and Ruth Miller, made a significant donation to the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund. When Nadine Korab was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, …
Childhood cancer leaves a lasting impact on children and families. Even after treatment ends, long-term effects of cancer treatment may pose challenges for survivors. Children and young adults, along with their families, may experience significant changes to their lifestyle. Instead of this being a time to go back to life as it used to be, it may be a time of continued adjustment, as you …
When I blew out my candles on my sixth birthday, my only wish was that I had cancer. I was 6, so obviously I did not comprehend the extent of what I was wishing for, but at the time it was the thing I wanted the most. Four years earlier, my younger brother Connor was diagnosed with cancer. At that exact moment, everything became about …
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, there are things that cancer parents and caregivers have to let go of, just to make it through. Maybe it was the expectation of a clean house, or having a plan for how the day was going to go. There are things that, when faced with something as daunting as cancer, just don’t seem to matter much anymore. …
From cancer screening to diagnosis and treatment, the journey of childhood cancer can be very difficult. By its very nature, the relationship between patient and physician can be deeply personal. Sometimes, the same doctor who gave your family the life-altering diagnosis is your child’s doctor throughout treatment, and may even be there to celebrate when treatment is finally over. A great way to express gratitude …
Our life experiences can affect our bodies on the stem cell level — even when our cells are implanted in an entirely different human. That’s what Lucie Turcotte, MD, MPH, MS discovered while examining the impact of donors’ socioeconomic status on bone marrow transplant (BMT) outcomes.
With support from CCRF, Dr. Katie Greenzang is developing an eHealth intervention to improve families’ preparation for the survivorship stage of childhood cancer. She asked “How do we improve quality of life, not only for our patients during treatment, but their quality of life after treatment and in survivorship?”
With support from CCRF, Dr. Lisa A. Schwartz is leading a pilot study to explore why adolescent % and young adult survivors may be disengaged from cancer-related follow-up care and to develop interventions that target reasons for disengagement.
Kathryn (KK to her friends and family) may only be 4 years old, but she is a no-nonsense girl. When it comes to her leukemia treatments, she wants to know exactly what’s happening, and she lets her care teams know she doesn’t need to be coddled.
“She packs her own bag with the toys she wants to play with,” said her mom, Brittany. “When the sweet child life specialists come in and try to do their job by distracting her from treatment, she’ll say, ‘I don’t need you.’ She’s just matter-of-fact about it all.”
Children’s Cancer Research Fund has introduced a new grant, the Healthy After Cancer: Childhood Cancer Survivorship Research Award, which funds critical research that will lessen the impact of treatment and late-effects on childhood cancer survivors and ensures they have the information and care needed to live long, healthy lives after cancer. 2021 Survivorship Award Grantees Katie Greenzang, MD: Dana Farber Cancer Institute – eHealth Intervention …
Linda Resar, MD, will never forget Amanda, the first leukemia patient she cared for during her oncology fellowship. The inspirational 8-year-old, who had Down syndrome, was fighting acute lymphocytic leukemia. “She was exceptionally courageous, thoughtful and resilient,” Resar said. “While she was cured and is now in her 30s, the chemotherapy was toxic, and she became ill throughout the treatment, which drives me to do …
For kids like Rider, childhood cancer is an isolating experience. By sharing his story, he hopes to show other kids that even in their darkest moments, they can get through anything.
During high school, Loretta Li worked in the University of Chicago lab of Janet Rowley, who later won the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her groundbreaking work on cancer genetics. “She really was a pioneer,” noted Li, who is now a pediatric oncologist with Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of …
With more than 10,000 experts at 200-plus institutions around the world, the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) is a research powerhouse. The consortium runs nearly 100 active clinical trials that aim to improve the care, survivorship and quality of life for children and adolescents with cancer. And all that adds up to an ever-mounting treasure trove of data, ripe for uncovering new insights into the best …
When a child returns to school once treatment is finished, adjusting back to a “normal” routine can be difficult for both the family and school. You may be feeling both joyful and anxious. Your child may still be healing, both emotionally and physically. And your family may be facing new challenges. Some children get back into school routines quickly, while others may need more time …
