Go be inspired

Stephen Sutton died yesterday morning in his sleep at the age of 19 in the UK after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 2010. He had a Facebook page and a website with a blog and a bucket list (mostly completed) and you can follow his timeline to learn what he did.

He accomplished a lot in his short life including raise over 500,000 pounds for charity. He should be remembered as someone who did some pretty amazing things. Go read about him and be inspired to get moving in your life.

We can learn from the children

I found this article written by an adult with a pediatric cancer so she was in the pediatric cancer ward with all the kids with cancer. It was an educational experience for her with her cancer avengers and the article is a learning experience for the reader.

The author, Ann Graham, moved into the pediatric ward for a year of treatment:

"Then I became one of them: No hair. Giant, treacherous scar. Wheelchair. Ever-present IV pole, and dusty-rose colored kidney-shaped bowl to throw up in. These were all outward signs of a fraternity of warriors that no one wants to belong to. They all were enduring the same grueling treatment I was -- only they were, on average, 10 years old.

This fraternity of Cancer Avengers was wise in ways beyond their years. When faced with the courage and bravery of these little superheroes, I had to give myself the "Put your big girl pants on" speech more than once.

On my first day of treatment, while I was scrolling through my Facebook feed by the fish tank, two boys next to me started discussing their Make-A-Wish requests. Adam, about 12 years old, had just returned from a rainforest trip and asked what Sam's wish was going to be. Sam said they couldn't give him what he wished for. Adam disagreed, enthusiastically conveying that any wish could be granted. Sam stood firm: It was not possible.

Well, what is it that you want anyway? Adam wanted to know. By now, I also wanted to know.

"I want normal," was Sam's answer. "I want to go to school and basketball practice, complain about my parents and homework and turn 12.""

What do adults talk about whenthey ahve cancer? They talk about cancer and obsess about it. Children are different:

"I never got depressed with the Cancer Avengers. They never talked about cancer. They talked about friends, music, sports and Spiderman. Hope prevailed in Pediatric Day Hospital."

They have hope. They are wise beyond their years.

There can be humor in cancer

Cancer isn't supposed to be funny. But to patients it can be. People in cancer treatment are still people. They keep their sense of humor. Here's some proof.

A 12 year old boy from Milton, MA self published a joke book while in chemotherapy. He got other children in the pediatric cancer center to leave jokes for him each day. He compiled them and published a book. You can buy a copy online here.

All proceeds from the book sale go to pediatric cancer research. For $8.95 you can get a few snickers and laughs and help a worthy cause. If you don't like jokes for kids, buy a copy and donate it to your local hospital.

This is not something to argue about

A little girl in Ohio is being given a trip to Disney by the Make A Wish Foundation. Her mother and grandmother would go with her except her father doesn't want her to go. He thinks that since she is now on once a month doctor visits and through treatment for leukemia the Make A Wish Foundation should save the money and use it for a terminally ill child and he will pay to take his daughter to Disney later when she is older and will remember it.

Please, let's not argue over this. He does not understand that even though his daughter is technically considered 'cured' and can expect a relatively  normal life, she will never be normal in the sense that she will live the life of someone with a cancer diagnosis behind them. The constant worries of will it come back, will there be life long side effects from treatments, and never receiving normal medical care - always on that special list of 'because you had cancer, we need to be sure...'.

The trip to Disney isn't just for her, its for her caregivers - mother and grandmother - as well. Its a opportunity to resume some sense of normalcy in their lives with a family vacation.

The Make a Wish Foundation does not discriminate between children who have or had a life threatening disease. Its not just for terminally ill patients so they support the trip.

Lets not argue about this and let them go on their trip.