Talking To Kids About Cancer

When a parent or grandparent or close relative, friend or neighbor or even a sibling is diagnosed with cancer, the time comes to decide about revealing the news. Some adults worry about talking to kids about a cancer diagnosis and wonder if and how to do so. Here are some helpful ideas for those of you trying to decide:

Can kids handle the truth about cancer?

Nothing is easy about cancer. It's not easy for grown ups and it's not easy for kids. The decision to talk about a cancer diagnosis with your kids is yours. You should not be judged for your decision. Only you know your family and what is best for you. Following are some considerations to make in your decision:

• Sometimes the truth is impossible to avoid. Many cancer patients will change physically while undergoing treatments. Parents with small children may need to hire babysitters or let their kids stay with friends or relatives while they undergo treatments. Telling the kids might just not be an option.
• Interestingly, kids really do see and hear more than most adults realize. They might just sense that something is going on and have a lot of questions they are afraid to ask because they have been kept in the dark. If they begin to show signs of fear, it might be a good idea to tell them that something is happening.
• Kids can be a part of the fight against your disease. They will feel much safer and confident if they can be included in the cancer diagnosis. Let them do things like fetch you a warm blanket or help shave your head. Make this a family bonding experience, a time for you all to join forces against a terrible disease.
• If you are open and honest, kids will tend to ask questions. They have these questions whether they feel comfortable asking or not. If they feel like you'll be honest, they will ask. So, it's important to be honest even if they ask the hard questions. If a child asks about death, it's best to say you don't know if you'll die, but then remind the child that many new and wonderful therapies have been developed to help get rid of your cancer.
• Sometimes, depending on the age of the child, it's important to find someone other than yourself for the kids to talk to. A school counselor or clergy member or a trusted friend are good options.

When talking to your kids about cancer, they might want to know what cancer is. There are many great resources available to help explain cancer to children. Be sure to ask your doctor or contact our Patient Access Manager, Erika Pomares.

A few years ago, our LLS chapter partnered with MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Fredrick Hagemeister to create a Children's Cancer Program. Children ages 4-12 attended the program which was held on four different occasions. A 40-minute video of one of those programs can be viewed HERE.

Mission Moment Monday: CML patient training for San Diego half marathon

Less than three months ago, on November 25, 2014, Louis Huerta heard news from his doctor that would shake his world.

Louis had been on a journey since January to achieve greater health. For the past 10 months, he had been on a healthy diet and exercise program and had successfully lost 80 pounds. When he went to see his doctor for a physical and learned he had leukemia, he was shocked.

"Why," he wondered, "what did I do to cause this?" He discovered that his disease was the result of a random genetic mutation of a chromosome called Philadelphia Chromosome. Louis had been working so hard to lose weight and become healthy because his doctors had always told him that this would solve all his problems. He finally got healthy, then found out he had cancer. "I laughed out loud at the irony," he said.

His diagnosis was Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), a very rare cancer of the white blood cells. Typically it occurs in older adults, but can occur in anyone of any age, including children. Louis is only 33 years old.

At first, he was frightened and decided that the best way to overcome his fears was to educate himself. Immediately Louis began researching CML and discovered that although the life expectancy for CML patients 15 years ago was 3-7 years, some very significant strides have been made to completely change this statistic. In 2000, the development of a targeted therapy called imatinib brought a great victory for CML patients and increased life expectancy to 14 or more years. Patients on this therapy are being monitored and it is thought that in many cases, these patients will go on to live a full, normal, healthy life just by taking one pill each day.

Discovering that he would simply take one small pill every day and may never have to do chemo or radiation or bone marrow transplant (very rare treatment protocols these days for CML patients), Louis began to tell family and friends, "I have bad news, but mostly good news". This therapy has various side effects. Each patient is different, but most patients feel just like Louis: "like I'm not even sick".

Initially, Louis experienced a few minor side effects and at first he was hypersensitive to these, but soon realized that these side effects were not truly causing harm. He actually felt good. After six weeks of taking his pills, he had a follow up appointment with his oncologist. "I will always remember January 27, 2015," he said, "I went to see how the Gleevec (imatinib) treatment was going for me."

"All my blood numbers were in the normal range and the key indicator of the Philadephia Chromosome was halved," said Louis, "The treatment is working!"

One of the greatest passions Louis has developed since his journey with health and fitness began is running. He was thrilled that running would not be taken from him when he began treatments for CML. The beauty of a targeted agent administered in pill form is that if patients don't have severe side effects, they can continue a normal life, doing what they love.

Louis loves running and has decided that Team In Training is going to bring him to his next goal- to run a half marathon! Currently, he is training for the Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon on May 31. His coach, Dan Walmer said, "he is a champion and an inspiration for people".

If you would like to make a donation to this amazing champion, please go to his fundraising link HERE.

*The drug Louis is taking, imatinib (Gleevec ®), is one of the greatest success stories at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. LLS's funding of Dr. Brian Drucker led to the development and approval of this therapy which has increased survival rates and quality of life for CML patients dramatically. To see more, check out the video below.

Run Through Bubbles to Help End Cancer

Can you imagine running through bubbles for three miles? Fun, right? We are excited about the Bubble Run coming up in Houston on May 23 and would like to invite you to partner with us in having some great fun while bringing us closer to ending blood cancers.

To join the LLS in funding life-saving research while running 5 kilometers of "frothy goodness", go to the BUBBLE RUN website and register for the race. Once you've registered, go to REASON 2 RACE and set up your fundraising website. Send your link out to everyone you know and ask them to donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Following the event, the top fundraiser will receive a trophy. This is a great event for people of every age. We invite kids, parents, grandparents, friends, everyone! Join the LLS for a fun little race and help us make someday today!

For more information, contact Amanda Payne at Amanda.Payne@lls.org.

• Register for BUBBLE RUN
• Sign up at REASON 2 RACE
• Email out your fundraising link
• Top fundraiser gets a trophy

Tom Landry, 1924-2000

Coach Tom Landry was born in September 1924 in a little Texas town called Mission. He was strong, confident, determined, and filled with courage.

Landry fought in World War II as a bomber pilot so he knew from an early age how to be a soldier and hero. Perhaps that time in the military was part of his preparation for later in life when he would fight a disease that threatens so many lives each year.

In the 1950s Landry played football for the New York Giants. Later he became their Defensive Coordinator opposite Vince Lombardi, the Offensive Coordinator. Then, in 1960, he became the very first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys where he coached for 29 seasons.

Known for his trademark suit and fedora, Landry was stoic and a great leader admired by coaches and players throughout the NFL.

In May of 1999, Landry was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). He endured nine months of treatments and died on February 12, 2000 at the age of 75. He has been gone for 15 years, but his legacy of honor and strength lives on.

Although great strides are being made to bring us closer to curing AML, it remains one of the most aggressive and difficult diseases to cure. Here are a few facts about AML:

• 20,830 new cases will be diagnosed in 2015
• 10,460 deaths from AML will occur in 2015
• 60-70% of patients will achieve a remission status
• 25% of patients will remain free of disease for 3 or more years

Thank you to all our TNT participants for your efforts to cure AML and other blood cancers!

Creative Idea From A Child

When 9-year-old Ben was visiting his friend in the hospital, he heard the parents talking about an issue they were having. Ben's friend Caleb has leukemia so his family is very careful about keeping away the germs. Their constant hand washing has caused their hands to be very dry and cracked.

Ben got to thinking. What could he create to help Caleb's family with their dry hands? That's when he came up with the idea of combining lotion and soap, a product he calls "soshen". His soshen was a hit! Now, Ben sells soshen online with 20% of the proceeds being donated to Texas Children's Hospital.

The soshen comes in a variety of scents and according to customers, it works great! You can try it out by ordering online HERE.

Send A Valentine's Card to a Child

Being in the hospital on Valentine's Day is no fun for anyone! But there will be many children spending this day hospitalized at Texas Children's Hospital. Many of those kids are blood cancer patients.

If you would like to brighten up the day for these kids, click HERE to send a card to a child in the hospital and the cards will be hand delivered on Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14. Be sure to send the link out to your friends so the kids at TCH can all receive lots of love.