by admin | May 6, 2017 | Blog, ChildHood Stories, Honoring Brave Children, Inspiring Video - Children Surviving Cancer, Survivor Stories, Videos, Youtube Video
UPDATE: Jan. 2015 Riley had another recurrence in July 2013. She had another craniotomy where they were able to remove 90-95% of the tumor, she then had a stem cell transplant in Oct. 2013. 6 weeks after the transplant, there was no sign of the residual tumor!! She had scans on Jan 5, 2015 and she still has No Evidence of Disease (NED)!! She is currently attending school and trying to get back to living her life like a “normal” 14 year old!!
UPDATE: July 2012 – Recurrence confirmed…completed 5 sessions of Cyber Knife treatment, waiting for Sept to have next scan to see if it worked! She continues to be positive & an inspiration to everyone that knows her!!
The courage of a child is amazing and regardless of the struggles she faced, how she always kept a smile on her face!! SHE IS MY HERO!! This is a glimpse into my daughter Riley’s battle with cancer. In 2008, when she was 7, she was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma – a malignant brain tumor. We almost lost her in Feb 2009 when she went into septic shock after contracting Pneumonia. She is still facing many obstacles from the effects of her treatment but she is still alive and still CANCER FREE!!!
by admin | May 5, 2017 | Blog, Honoring Brave Children, Survivor Stories, Videos, Youtube Video
7-year-old Faith is battling a malignant brain tumor. She stole our hearts with her precious words, “My favorite present is being home.” Hear Faith’s story from her mom, Tana, during one of Faith’s chemotherapy treatments.
by admin | May 4, 2017 | Youtube Video
Back in 2014, photographer Lora Scantling captured three young girls fighting cancer. Now, 3 years later, the girls have reunited for a new photo, and they’re stronger and healthier than ever!
Scantling’s father was losing his fight to lung cancer, so she wanted to do something “that spoke a thousand words that would draw emotion”. She chose childhood cancer because her friend had lost her son to cancer earlier. “I put a post out on Facebook seeking little girls who were fighting cancer, and the portrait was born!” she said. Then 3-year-old Rylie, 6-year-old Rheann, and 4-year-old Ainsley did not know each other until the photo shoot, yet they became instant friends. The 2014 photo captured the three girls hugging and showing support to each other, and it went viral on social media. Now, the 2017 photo is just as emotional. It shows the three girls, which are now all cancer-free, looking healthier and stronger than ever, and holding a gold ribbon, which represents childhood cancer awareness. “Cancer is like a dragon,” Rheann said. “Yeah, and chemo is the prince,” Ainsley responded. Rylie added: “Cancer messed with the wrong princesses!”
More info: Facebook | scantlingphotography.com (h/t: huffingtonpost)
by admin | May 4, 2017 | Blog, Latest Pediatric Cancer News, Youtube Video
Despite advances that have made treatments safer and more effective, childhood cancer survivors don’t appear to have experienced gains in long-term health outcomes, a new study suggests.
Their survival odds are better, but as adults they may have chronic medical problems linked to cancer and tumor treatments, the study found.
Up to one in four childhood cancer survivors report health problems in their 20s and 30s, researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
“They have chronic conditions at higher rates than siblings and the general population and they perceive their health as worse,” said lead study author Kirsten Ness of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
by admin | Apr 28, 2017 | ChildHood Stories, Inspiring Video - Children Surviving Cancer, Youtube Video
TRUSSVILLE, Alabama – Parents and players hear the words “play ball” before every little league game. Although routine to some, those words hold a dear place for the Barksdale and Moultrie families in Trussville. Their sons, Trevor Moultrie and Andrew Barksdale are both 7-year-old cancer survivors who played this season at the Trussville Baseball Park. Although they were on different teams, the two share a special bond — on and off the field.
“We have known each other for a long time and we had cancer together,” said Trevor Moultrie when asked to describe his friendship with Andrew Barksdale.
Trevor recalled his first year playing when he was catching behind home plate and Andrew came up to bat.
“I think I said hi Andrew, and then we played in the park after the game,” he said.
Andrew remembered the encounter as well.
“After the game we said, ‘good game’ to each other and played,” he said.
Throughout the year, the pair would go to the ballpark and cheer one another on, during practice and games.
The boys’ mothers, Sherri Moultrie and Holly Barksdale, met after striking up a conversation in a waiting room at Children’s of Alabama. They learned that they lived only a mile away from each other in Trussville, and began what they described as an instant “family-like” relationship.
Their sons were both diagnosed with ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) as toddlers, and Sherri and Holly say they supported one another and depended on one another through countless trips to the clinic and hospital.
“We kept in touch by text and social media,” Sherri Moultrie said. They would often send a word of encouragement or ask a question about what the boys were experiencing during treatment.
“We often understood each other better than our own families as they struggled with good and bad days,” Barksdale said.
Both Andrew and Trevor are healthy today and still share a love of baseball. Thursday, as the mothers watched their boys play catch, they still wince as they fall down or have a ball bounce out of their gloves, but they are keenly aware of the miracle of “small things.”
“They are little miracles,” Barksdale said of the boys.
On Sunday, June 8, 2014, Children’s of Alabama will host a baseball party for childhood cancer survivors. More than 300 are expected to attend the private event that will celebrate with their families.
According to Children’s of Alabama, every year 150 Alabama children are diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s a life-changing diagnosis that is devastating to the family and is the first step of a grueling treatment journey,” said Kathy Bowers with Children’s of Alabama.
Thankfully, thanks to research, development and donations, 80 percent of the children diagnosed with cancer today are expected to survive — that’s up from 50 percent just two decades ago.
by admin | Mar 19, 2017 | Youtube Video
Eight-year-old Addison has a message for cancer: “You messed with the wrong kid!” Addison bravely battled against leukemia in 2012. He is one of approximately 1,500 individuals being supported by Northwestern Mutual’s Childhood Cancer Program and its nonprofit partners, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Northwestern Mutual’s Childhood Cancer Program supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s cutting edge research program, funding important projects searching for better treatments and cures for all childhood cancers. The company’s support of Alex’s Travel Fund enables families to receive vital, specialized treatments from pediatric cancer hospitals by covering costly travel and lodging expenses.
To learn more about the partnership between Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Northwestern Mutual visit: http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/corporate-partners/northwestern-mutual
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