The Childhood Cancer Blog
The Childhood Cancer Blog
Elise was just 4 years old when she failed a routine eye exam multiple times.
An ophthalmologist at the University of Minnesota Lions Children’s Eye Clinic ordered an MRI to see if they could find out why Elise was struggling to see out of her right eye. On January 5, 2018, they did. A mass was detected on her optic chiasm, and Elise was diagnosed with an optic nerve glioma – a brain tumor that grows where the eye connects to the brain.
Elise is just one of the 4,000 children under the... Read More
After witnessing her sister's battle with cancer, Cara decided to become a nurse.
Cara with her sister, Cait.
The summer going into the 8th grade I heard the worst words I had ever heard in my life, “Your sister has cancer.” I still feel my heart sink when I think about it to this day. Cait had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) just before her 16th birthday.
Luckily, my sister is healthy and well now thanks to the amazing people who took care of her. There are so many moving parts to a pediatric cancer care team who provide treatment to patients like my sister, but the role which resonated the most with me was that of the nurse.
Her nurses always took the time to... Read More
Lara Stuart, Mom to Quincy (Childhood Cancer Hero)
Nicole Ibbotson, Mom to Tyler (SuperSib) and Lilly (Childhood Cancer Hero)
Molly Sturgis, Mom to Evelyn (SuperSib), Telly (Childhood Cancer Hero) and Hattie Mae (SuperSib)
Erica Avello, Mom to Frankie (Childhood Cancer Hero) and Brooklyn (SuperSib)
Morgan Griffin, Mom to Scarlett (Childhood Cancer Hero)
Emily Gigler, Mom to Edie (Childhood Cancer Hero) and Kinsey (SuperSib)
Nicole’s daughter Lilly was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was just a year old. She recalls:
“It shook us. Our bond got stronger and we stuck together as a family to get through some tough days for Lilly. We had to be strong for Lilly to be stronger,” said Nicole.
The moment your child is diagnosed with childhood cancer is the moment your motherhood changes forever.
My own daughter, also named Lily, was diagnosed with a brain tumor called ependymoma when she was 14 months old. Today, she is 18 years old and cancer-free.
I asked some fellow hero... Read More
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