A diagnosis of childhood cancer can leave parents feeling adrift and utterly alone. The friends who walk with them through their child’s medical care are often cherished lifelong, and from a central thread in their own healing. Megan Santos reflects on the many friendships formed before, during and after her daughter’s treatment for retinoblastoma.
July 11, World Population Day, focuses attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. Helen Dimaras Ph.D considers the effect of our expanding global population on the expected numbers of children who will develop eye cancer each year, and the provision of effective care to meet their needs.
Infants experience a wide range of emotions, the depths of which are just beginning to be understood. Morgan Livingstone CCLS discusses how the external environment influences infant mental health, and the varied ways parents and medical professionals can help babies cope and thrive through medical interventions.
The body’s sensitive biological clock regulates sleep, which is vital to our physical and mental health. Dr. Iona Alexander explores how some effects of retinoblastoma treatment may disrupt this highly tuned system, and invites survivors to help researchers understand the relationship between these effects and sleep.
On Saturday 12 May, International Nurses Day celebrates the incredible life-saving, life-changing work of nurses around the world. Janine Patterson shares the uncommon experience, benefit and burden of being a nurse when your child is diagnosed with cancer, and important things she has learned along the way.
Retinoblastoma survivor and WE C Hope co-founder / CEO, Abby White, considers the central importance of DNA and genetic knowledge in caring for the child and family. She introduces us to Alice, Jamie, Megan, Rachel, Peter and their families, to find out how genetic testing can influence treatment, screening and lifelong care.
Linda Conyard MGestT explores the grief that can arise from retinoblastoma diagnosis, treatment, eye removal surgery, loss of innocence, and mutilated family life. She considers the potential harm of suppressing this grief, and offers both families/survivors and medical professionals ways to prevent prolonged suffering.
Google and social media play an increasingly significant role in the lives of families affected by retinoblastoma, but without careful use, they can complicate a child’s medical care and even put life at risk. Dr. Jesse Berry shares her recommendations for being a safely informed parent advocate in the modern hyper-connected age.
Brenda Gallie, global leader in retinoblastoma clinical care, research and innovation, discusses an exciting technology promising to improve care during treatment and beyond. DePICTRB supports collaboration among the child’s entire circle of care, gives parents open access to their child’s record, and empowers clinical research.
