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How cancer affects families essay
How cancer affects family
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In 1998, the most common cause of child and adolescents death claimed approximately 2500 young lives in the United States alone. The cause of this dreadful loss of life was due to childhood cancers. This paper explores the changes in the life of children dealing with cancer, families that have been affected by these diseases (also known as pediatric cancer) and a small part of the journey they experience. Cancer does not discriminate and affects all members of the family unit. This paper investigates the challenges that a family will experience from the first diagnoses through palliative care. It examines research and statistic about childhood cancer from organization as the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the National Cancer Institute's (NCI), Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF), and other cancer research organization. Although there are 12 major types of cancers that affect children, the main focus in this paper will be acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). It will also include an interview, the personal experiences of a family, real life emotions, and the effect on the parents and sibling of the (Ashtyn) child presently facing acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Life is no longer what formerly was known as being normal. Life with cancer becomes a new journey, the new normal family life that, unfortunately is not normal, but a life that includes cancer. Keywords: childhood cancer, family life, new journey, leukemia (ALL), chemo The Effects of Childhood Cancer on Families and the Journey That Becomes the New Normal Childhood cancer is a life altering experience, not only for a child, but for their entire family. It is the leading cause of death in children from the time of birth to 14 years of age, defined by the ag... ... middle of paper ... ...o.org/Home.aspx [Accessed: 4Apr 2014]. Cancer.gov. (2014). Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.gov/ [Accessed: 7 Apr 2014]. Cancer.org. (2014). Treatment of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/leukemiainchildren/detailedguide/childhood-leukemia-treating-children-with-all [Accessed: 7 Apr 2014]. Children's Cancer Research Fund. (2014). Treatments and Therapies | Children's Cancer Research Fund. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/treatments_and_therapies/ [Accessed: 4 Apr 2014]. Children's Cancer Research Fund. (2014). Retrieved April 5, 2014, from http://www.childrenscancer.org/main/treatments_and_therapies/ website: Whalen, M. (2014). Leukemia, A Family’s New Journey. Interview by Jarret Collins [Text Interview].
Pediatric oncology has been so very rewarding in many ways, but also so very cruel in a few ways. The good days are great, but the sad days are heartbreaking. But beyond the death and the suffering, there is a whole other layer of
Pubmed Health. 2010 - November 17th, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from Pubmed Health. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002390/. Rumford, S. (2001).
"Lung Cancer Fact Sheet - American Lung Association." American Lung Association. American Lung Association, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 May 2012. Web. The Web. The Web. 11 Jan. 2014.
Cancer. A word that many people know as a reality. There are many different types of cancer that affect various amounts of people. One especially dangerous cancer is neuroblastoma. “Neuroblastoma . . . accounts for about 6% of all cancers in children . . . The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 1 to 2 years” ("What Are the Key Statistics about Neuroblastoma?"). Neuroblastoma is a devastating cancer found mostly in young children that is hard to terminate but learning the symptoms and most effective treatments can help with diagnosis and cure for an affected child.
Pediatric Oncology is at the heart of many organizations. There are many financial and emotional burdens associated with a loved one having cancer, and thanks to these foundations parents and children can sleep a little bit better at night knowing that someone has their back. Some of the more prominent groups that have an impact here in our community are: Alliance for Childhood Cancer, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, CURE Childhood Cancer, and National Cancer Institute (Mccaul). These are organizations that make an impact in the lives of the children battling cancer and their families. Whether an organization has been started in memory of a loved one or to support a college or hospital, organizations like those listed above have
Unknown. "What Is Cancer? - National Cancer Institute." Cancer.gov, 2014. Web. 13 Jan 2014. .
U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Sept. 2011. Web. The Web. The Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
The inadequate amount of donations leaves pediatric cancer victims with medications that were developed in the 1970s and 1980s ("Mission" par 5). Childhood cancer is greatly underfunded because adult cancer is said to earn a higher profit ("Childhood Cancer Facts" par 6). The medications used on childhood cancer patients were made for adults rather than children, and it has a harsh effect on small, usually weaker bodies ("Mission" par 5). The American Childhood Cancer Organization has said that the current treatments being used on children can cause serious long-term health problems ("Mission" par 5). Approximately 4.74% of childhood cancer survivors will suffer later in life from their cancer treatment ("Childhood Cancer Facts" par 5). According to statistics, cancer treatments used on small children can harm their future health, such as fertility and growth. ("Childhood Cancer Facts" par 5). Radiation may leave girls infertile in the future, and it can stunt the growth of young children. A very common form of treatment, radiation, is almost more hurtful than helpful when used on children. Radiation used on adults causes fatigue and skin irritation, and the effect on children is even more extreme (Gupta par 22 par 23). Considering children are smaller and weaker than adults, the fatigue hits harder and causes children to become even weaker.
"What are the treatments for cancer?." A.D.A.M. Life's Greatest Mysteries. 2001. eLibrary. Web. 17 Dec. 2013.
Kids are meant to be happy, play outside, go to school, and have fun. They aren’t meant to sit in hospitals, losing weight by the pound, carrying around IV poles filled with poison. It’s ridiculous and immature that we don’t have a cure for childhood cancer. The only “treatment” that we have is chemotherapy- a chemical that seems to help fight off cancer. Chemo doesn’t just fight off cancer cells though- it fights off healthy cells in your blood, mouth, digestive system, and hair follicles. The most frustrating thing about childhood cancer is that only 4% of federal funding is exclusively dedicated to childhood cancer research. It is true that more adults get diagnosed with cancer than kids, but does that mean that adults are 96% more important than children? The average age of diagnosis for an adult with cancer is age 67, and the average number of years lost is 15. 15 years are definitely many years, but not that many compared to the average number of years lost for a child- 71. Also, age 67 is a lot older than the average age of diagnoses for a child- age 6. At least the adults get to grow up and have the ability to even have cancer- some of these kids can’t even get through a fifth of their lives.
Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer in children. Cancer kills more children than any other disease. Over 2,300 children with cancer die each year (Ibackjack, 2013, p.1). Cancer causes pain, stress, anxiety and many more physical behaviors, but how can music therapy affect those behaviors? This paper will demonstrate the physical effects cancer has on children and how music therapy can promote improvement in these areas.
Childhood leukemia is a devastating disease that often leads to death situations. One has to know that Leukemia is not just a word, but also a reality. “Over half of children diagnosed with cancer each year have leukemia” (Ruccione). There are many types of leukemia, but there four main types that appear among minors. Through this research, one will discover the different aspects of this cancer and in knowing this may help understand and learn about Leukemia more.
...xt of pediatric cancer treatment/research, conducted parent interviews, and administered clinician questionnaires to examine these issues” with the 14 children. Some of the parents were asked some of the similar questions but were asked much less (Quinn, Olechnowicz Joseph, Eder Michelle, Simon Christian, Zyzanski Stephen, and Kodish Eric).
Ed. David Zieve. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Feb. 2014. Web. The Web.