While communities across the U.S. are practicing social distancing, one community in Los Angeles found a way to come together — while still maintaining a safe distance apart — for a teen currently battling pediatric cancer on her last day of chemotherapy.
A video of 15-year-old Courtney (Coco) Johnson being driven home from the hospital through streets full of safely-distanced neighbors welcoming her has made an impression on millions after Coco’s mom shared it online — and it’s just the kind of show of positivity that is so important to highlight right now.
Read MoreSince then, Coco has gone through two surgeries and more than a dozen chemotherapy sessions, BuzzFeed reports. Her final chemo session was earlier this week and Coco’s mom, April Danz, told the publication that typically at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where Coco was being treated, the final chemo session is a pretty big deal. However, because of the current coronavirus pandemic, the hospital — like many others across the U.S. — is only allowing each patient one visitor at a time. The idea to set up a street parade to celebrate Coco’s last chemo came from one of Danz’s friends.
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The teen’s friends and loved ones lined her street, and each sat outside of their cars, many with signs touting messages of congrats or well-wishes.
“When we turned the corner, it was very emotional for us,” Danz told BuzzFeed.
Restrictions in Pediatric Cancer Hospitals
Like Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, many hospitals across the country are suspending or limiting the number of visitors kids in for cancer treatment can have. These restrictions can be really difficult for kids and parents alike, but they are important. In a recent interview, Dr. Puvri Parikh, an Immunologist at New York University (NYU) Langone Health, told SurvivorNet that compromised immune systems do make kids with cancer more susceptible to COVID-19. However, she also noted that the rate of pediatric deaths from the virus remains low.
Dr. Puvri Parikh, of NYU, discusses children’s hospitals limiting the number of visitors for kids with cancer — and why it’s important right now.
Still, limiting exposure to the virus is still crucial, she said. While it may be hard for pediatric patients to be in the hospital without their families, Dr. Parikh pointed out that there are other ways to comfort kids during these tough times.
“Because of technology we're lucky,” she said. “Social distancing is a little bit easier than it maybe would have been 20 or 30 years ago.”
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