A stay in the hospital is not on most kids' top 10 list, but it's often a necessity for young cancer patients. Now, the redesigned and expanded MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital will make stays easier on children.
When the idea to expand the Children's Cancer Hospital and centralize its services became a reality, pediatric caregivers on the Family Advisory Council began to work hand-in-hand with the architects and hospital staff. They considered everything from pod names to colors to furniture to floor layout.
The result: mood lighting, plasma TV screens and a basketball goal down the hall ‒ which may sound like a child's idea of a dream vacation. The good news is that the innovative treatment that is synonymous with cancer care at MD Anderson is still part of the plan.
Each patient still receives care from a multidisciplinary team of specialists who partner with families to provide the best comprehensive care for their children. Patients will be able to receive infusion therapy and inpatient services, including intermediate and intensive care, all on the same floor - a first among area children's hospitals.
By April Greene and Wendy Griffith, social work counselors
Mother's Day is a special day that we set aside to celebrate our mothers and honor the joys of motherhood. But for moms diagnosed with cancer, this day can be especially trying.
While you may feel grateful to spend this special day with your children and loved ones, you also may wonder how many more Mother's Days you have left.
Some moms even feel guilty on Mother's Day because it reminds them of the things they can no longer do for their family.
Rather than focusing on the difficult feelings, why not focus on celebrating the real meaning of Mother's Day by spending time with your family and making memories that you'll all cherish? Making handprints: An easy way to make memories Making a handprint with your loved ones is one great way to do this - even if you're experiencing mixed emotions and limitations from cancer or cancer treatment.
Individuals with a history of cancer in their family often seek out testing to learn if they, too, carry a gene that might indicate a future cancer diagnosis.
That's certainly true for me. My father, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with a very rare lung cancer when I was 8 years old.
When I got older and began researching facts about my father's cancer, I learned that in my family there exists a cancer syndrome called multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) syndrome that makes us more likely to develop tumors on our endocrine glands.
I've had non-malignant tumors in my pituitary and parathyroid glands, as well as my pancreas.
I get screened every year to make sure my tumors are behaving. Because I'm an oncologist, I can keep a vigilant eye on my own health. I can also share this information with my children when they get older because it's possible that our family history could play an important role in their health, and they'll want to share that information with their own doctors.
The internet can make life easier, but the answers it gives you can be overwhelming when you're dealing with cancer.
So what's the best way to find the most reliable, accurate information? Through The Learning Center at MD Anderson. We'll help you find the latest information about general health, cancer and issues related to cancer and cancer prevention. All services are free. A credible resource The Learning Center staff provides information that's current and accurate from trustworthy sources, including scientific and medical databases.
I recently organized my closet, determined to find some old photos taken at the Houston Zoo during my childhood.
The photos evoke fond memories for me. In one of them taken in the late 1970s, I am proudly posing in front of the lion water fountain. That fountain is still a welcoming fixture in the zoo.
Years later, I find myself back in a place of wonder and discovery. I now volunteer at the Houston Zoo as a veterinary cardiac imaging specialist along with Jose Banchs, M.D., medical director for MD Anderson's Echocardiography Laboratory. We perform cardiac examinations on the primates such as chimpanzees and orangutans.
The animals' anatomies are very closely related to those of humans. So, volunteering at the zoo allows us to use our expertise to help out the primates. It also reminds me how important it is for us humans to take good care of our hearts.
Heart technology at MD Anderson MD Anderson is one of only a handful of echocardiography labs in the world to use the latest techniques and ultrasound technology to evaluate our human cancer patients.
When we're dealing with cancer patients, the difference of a few percentage points in ejection fraction (the measure of overall heart function) can make a difference in treatment.
It has been known for thousands of years that massage feels good, helps relieve pain, stress and other symptoms, and is safe if given by an appropriately trained professional.
Wondering how to find a massage therapist who will take your cancer-related concerns into consideration during your massage? Here are some tips to help you find a trained massage therapist who can address your cancer and cancer treatment-related needs. 1. Consult your oncologist. To ensure coordinated and safe care, speak with your primary oncologist before having a massage. Your doctor can address any concerns. If your doctor thinks massage can be integrated into your care plan, ask him or her to request massage services for you from MD Anderson's Integrative Medicine Center through online consults.
Looking for massage therapy outside of Houston? Ask your doctor for a written order that you can give your local massage therapist.
Fizzling beakers, gooey bars of soap and lots of smiles were just a few of the scenes at a recent celebration at MD Anderson's Proton Therapy Center.
Each week, the Proton Center hosts a patient information meeting called "Beam News" where physicians, nurses and other medical experts discuss the latest topics in proton therapy. Patients, former patients, family members and people from the community all attend. This time, however, an idea was hatched to try something new with special support from Proton Pals, an outreach group of former patients who received proton therapy at MD Anderson.
"We decided an event for our young patients would be beneficial," says Kelly Wagner, a child life specialist. "Because our staff shares a passion for science, we devised a mad scientist costume party, which would be entertaining and educational at the same time."
Lab transformation For two hours, a large group of children and their families entered a makeshift laboratory filled with colorful streamers, balloons and a variety of exciting experiments. They were greeted by radiation therapists, nurses, and other staff who underwent a transformation of their own to look the part of mad scientists.
One of the experiments, called the "invisible hand," was especially a hit. A latex glove was attached to a long clear tube filled with gas. Once the gas rose to the top, the glove began inflating automatically to a wide array of smiles. The patients also created "cloud goo," a mixture of shaving cream and corn starch.
The MD Anderson Blood Bank is grateful that it has an adequate supply of blood and platelets for our patients for the coming few days.
Not all blood banks are so fortunate.
Blood banks in the Northeast that provide blood products to cancer centers and hospitals affected by Hurricane Sandy are running low. Because power is spotty, transportation difficult and residents focused on rebuilding, local blood drives have been cancelled and it could be some time before they gear up again.
The MD Anderson Blood Bank has not been called upon to assist with blood supplies elsewhere yet. But if our blood bank can maintain its own reserve for the coming months, it will not need to locate blood products from other regions which may be running short.
Honor someone you love If you would like to honor a patient or donate in thanksgiving for a survivor, please donate blood or platelets through MD Anderson's Blood Bank. Or if you prefer, you can wait a few weeks -- closer to the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays-- and give.
Brian Rose has battled melanoma for nearly three years. He has experienced multiple rounds of biochemotherapy, surgeries and radiation therapy, and participated in clinical trials. With a positive perspective and the support of his family and friends, Brian continues his journey one day at a time. He blogs about his cancer experience at www.howsbrian.com.
A cancer diagnosis at any age presents a seemingly impossible amount of instant adversity. As a young adult, however, a cancer diagnosis can open a floodgate of scenarios that can quickly back you into what feels like a very lonely corner of the universe.
When I was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma at age 32, I was overwhelmed with fear. I don't think it's possible for a person to hear the words "you have cancer" and not immediately begin to consider the inevitable reality that affects all living creatures, but for you, it could come sooner than expected. On top of that, I had no health insurance and was limited financially.
For me, the reason is simple: I have a rare type of bone cancer called chondrosarcoma and surgery -- the usual treatment for someone like me -- is no longer a viable option.
Cutting out one malignant tumor agitates the many benign tumors close by and they become malignant. Chemo and radiation aren't treatment options either, since neither one is effective in stopping or even slowing down my cancer.
When I first visited MD Anderson last year for an evaluation about treatment options, participating in clinical drug trials were among the first things my doctors and I discussed.
A helpful guide Enrolling in a trial isn't a decision to be taken lightly. Like any other treatment option, it's something you need to discuss thoroughly with your health care team, family and friends, and anyone who is a part of your care and support system.
MD Anderson offers a handy guide listing the questions you should ask and treatment factors you should consider. Speaking as someone who has "been there, done that" I highly recommend reading this guide.
In 2004, after beating cancer twice, out of nowhere Reba Kennedy of Knoxville, Tenn., began experiencing constant, agonizing pain.
"We went several times to the doctor and they checked every way they knew how, but didn't see anything," she says. "But I knew that I was just in so much pain."
Finally, during a routine check-up with her oncologist they found the source -- a large mass wrapped around her ribs.
The diagnosis of stage IV lung cancer shocked Reba, a non-smoker, and her family.
"My doctor told me that the tumor was inoperable and asked if I would like to go someplace else for a second opinion," Reba explains. "I asked him where he would go if it was someone in his family." His answer was MD Anderson.
Once Sandy Flores heard that Houston radio station KKHH-Hot 95.7 wanted listeners to donate their hair to Locks of Love, she jumped at the chance.
Flores donated the required amount of eight to ten inches of her hair on June 8, and was one of 15 people who took it a step further and shaved their heads.
"To me it seemed like the right thing to do," Flores says. "I see a lot of cancer patients come and go. Hair grows; mine will come back and it's not a big deal to me."
Flores is a medical assistant in the Mohs and Dermasurgery Unit, part of MD Anderson's Department of Dermatology. She says she felt like she had to donate her hair after working with cancer patients for the past five years.
A stay in the hospital is not on most kids' top 10 list, but it's often a necessity for young cancer patients. Now, the redesigned and expanded MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital will make stays easier on children.
