Laptop computers can help kids with cancer smile and Emily knows this all too well. Emily is a delightful eleven-year-old who loves to bake tasty confections for her family and her doctors. When she isn’t baking, she’s busy painting, an activity she enjoys almost as much as baking! Emily is also battling Leukemia for the second time, but a Mikey’s Way laptop helped put a shining smile on her beautiful face.
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As children across the country dream about holiday gifts and holiday parties, our hearts go out to all the pediatric cancer patients whose holiday will be spent wishing they could feel better. Some are so sick they have to spend their holidays in a hospital room.
And while most children await the gift-giving season with excited anticipation, when your family is burdened with medical bills, gifts become a luxury that are difficult to afford. That’s why our Mikey’s Wish List and Mikey’s Way Day programs are especially important during this time of year.
read more →By: Rachel Baumann, M.A.
Emily Winter, M.A., S.Y.C., N.C.S.P.
What is mindfulness? How does it work? And, how exactly does it relate to cancer care for pediatric patients?
Mindfulness is a mind-body form of therapy that connects physical health to mental well-being. It’s a technique in which an individual strives to remain in the present moment, not worried about the future, nor dwelling in the past. Mindfulness helps children (and adults!) remain focused on what is happening in the present: cognitively and emotionally, as well as keeping individuals tuned into their senses. (1)
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When a child has cancer, one of the challenges he or she faces is isolation from friends and classmates. While it’s often possible to keep up with schoolwork, it’s not so easy to maintain the social and group interactions experienced at school. But, laptops can help kids connect with their friends and classmates during treatment.
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Childhood cancer is a daily reality for thousands of children across America. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. During this month families, researchers, advocates, communities and other charities unite to raise awareness about childhood cancer.
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CT scan vs MRI scan – both are diagnostic medical tests that, like traditional X-rays, produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of your child’s body. Radiologists use the images generated from these scans to detect, diagnosis, or monitor your child’s health during and after treatment. So, what’s the differences between a CT (computerized tomography) scan and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)?
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Mouth sores. These painful little cuts or ulcers in the mouth can certainly make life miserable. In fact, eating, drinking and even speaking can become very difficult. While there currently isn’t any guaranteed way to prevent them, the good news is there are ways to reduce your child’s risk of getting them. In addition, there are ways to control and manage mouth sores if your child does in fact have them.
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The power of a Wish List gift and the magic that happens when the package arrives reaches far beyond any words which could accurately articulate the transformation that occurs. Smiles immediately replace frowns, enthusiasm quickly replaces sadness, and tough days all of a sudden seem a little brighter.
Boredom – of all the side effects related to pediatric cancer patients’ treatment, boredom is probably not high on the worry list. But for kids, boredom and loneliness can significantly add to the struggles they face every day trying to cope with their treatment. To them, hospitals can feel like a whole lot of waiting around. And on days when they are feeling a little better, the boredom can be excruciating.
“There is a pressing importance to remind pediatric cancer patients that life exists outside of cancer.” Mikey’s journal entries contain hundreds of nuggets of wisdom like this.
Mikey’s insight was reflected in the way that he lived and the words that he wrote. Crafted with the skill of a master many years beyond his age, Mikey’s expressive writings offer both a philosophical perspective and a unique glimpse into the world of a pediatric cancer patient.
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