A Dedicated Dad Making a Difference
- CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski just ran the Boston Marathon in honor of his baby girl Francesca, aka “Beans,” who tragically died from a rare form of brain cancer this past Christmas Eve at 9 months old.
- The 31-year-old political reporter, who is married to Wall Street Journal banking reporter Rachel Louise Ensign, the late Francesca’s mother, dedicated each mile to a child battlingor who has battledcancer.
- Parents need to be aware of potential symptoms of pediatric brain cancer, which can include: Crossed eyes or blurred vision, balance problems, behavioral changes or seizures.
The 31-year-old political reporter, who is married to Wall Street Journal banking reporter Rachel Louise Ensign, the late Francesca’s mother, dedicated each mile to a child battlingor who has battledcancer.
Read MoreAnd we’re off! I’m dedicating each mile of my Boston Marathon run to a child who is battling or has battled cancer.
Mile 1 is for sweet Ollie, 3. Here he is today with his brother. pic.twitter.com/q3HZE6lhJe
andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 11, 2021
Kaczynski dedicated his final mile to his little angel.
Mile 26, for my Beans â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/kQg0g3q1s4
andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 11, 2021
Over $1 million dollars have been raised in Francesca’s name to date.
We did it Beans. pic.twitter.com/HU26MFwBVk
andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 11, 2021
The loving fatherwho wound up with a time of 4:07:25, with a 9:27 mile pacewrote all the names of the “childhood cancer warriors” on his gym shoes.
My marathon race shoes have the names of our childhood cancer warriors, those still with us and those who have passed like Beans.
Two days to ago: 80% to our fundraising goal. https://t.co/jT5gS0gKvk pic.twitter.com/94SCJyqHLc
andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 9, 2021
Beans’ Cancer Fight
Last September, Kaczynski shared that his daughter was diagnosed with an “extremely rare and very aggressive rhabdoid brain tumor,” which is a fast-growing cancerous tumor of the brain and spinal cord.
“Francesca is the strongest person and most resilient person,” he tweeted. “Less than a week ago she had two brain surgeries and she’s already at home and smiling. I’m confident she will fight this.”
Unfortunately Francesca developed a serious fungal infection, and was put on a ventilator and life support.
“We're heartbroken to have to announce our beautiful daughter Francesca passed away last night in the arms of her mom and dad,” the grieving father wrote on Twitter. “There will always be a Bean-sized hole in our hearts for her. We're so grateful to have known her love. Francesca we love you.”
Symptoms of Childhood Brain Cancer
Brain and spinal cord cancers are the second most common form of childhood cancer, accounting for more than 4,000 diagnoses per year a quarter (26%) of all childhood cases. Only leukemia is more common.
According to the American Cancer Society, doctors may prescribe surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and/or therapy drugs to target the brain tumor and prevent further spread.
Possible symptoms to look out for include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Crossed eyes or blurred vision
- Balance problems
- Behavior changes
- Seizures
- Drowsiness or even coma
- Seizures occur in some patients as a first symptom. Although a seizure does not necessarily guarantee the presence of a brain tumor, pediatric neurologists will often check young seizure patients to rule out potential brain cancer.
How Childhood Cancer Can Affect a Family
Watching your child go through cancer is one of the most tragic things to witness for a parent.
SurvivorNet spoke with caregiver Jayne Wexler whose son Justice Carrier is an ALL (acute lymphocytic leukemia) survivor.
Wexler previously told SurvivorNet that some couples have a hard time staying together because of the stress their child's health places on their relationship. "Fortunately, we were very strong and have stayed together," she says. "We've gone to behavioral parenting therapy, which I think all parents should go to."
Sadly, their son relapsed at one point.
"My husband and I will always have fear … there's always some sort of worry. And we know that, I mean, it could happen to any of us … so many people have cancer or something terrible happened."
Wexler enjoys her time with her son, and realizes how precious those moments are.
"I try to just keep breathing and relax and enjoy my time with Justice. Kids can drive parents crazy. We drive them crazy. But you look back to how far he's come and how far we've come, and you've got to just love him. And he's the most important thing to me."
The Impact of Childhood Cancer on a Family
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
