Heroes Supporting Heroes
- The Buffalo Bills, who advanced to the divisional playoffs on Monday after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, have a team of pediatric cancer survivors cheering them closer to the Super Bowl.
- P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, which was founded by former Buffalo Bill Brian Moorman, provides financial and emotional assistance to families affected by childhood cancer, and featured some of their strong survivors in Bills jerseys on social media supporting their heroes.
- Here at SurvivorNet, we’re always encouraging people to advocate for themselves when it comes to cancer and, more generally, health care. But when it comes to a child, the parent must become the advocate and make sure any possible signs of cancer are immediately addressed and looked into.
- Some childhood cancers might not develop any symptoms, but some signs that could be initially overlooked include flu-like symptoms, a “glow” in the pupil, itchy skin, trouble exercising, decreased appetite, a swollen face, abnormal bleeding, a stomach lump, bone or joint pain or even a myriad of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
The P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, which was founded by former Buffalo Bill Brian Moorman, provides financial, emotional, and practical assistance to families affected by childhood cancer, and on the organization’s X feed (formerly Twitter), they highlighted several strong supporters in their Bills swag.
Read MoreLillyanna (left) is little sister to pediatric cancer angel Scarlett (right). She’s following in her big sister’s footsteps with her team spirit and they are both cherished members of our P.U.N.T. roster! The Buffalo Bills have the most incredible cheerleaders!Let’s Go Buffalo! pic.twitter.com/mHrlokpO4S
— P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative (@PUNTpedcancer) January 15, 2024
“We’re told warrior Jack was yelling, ‘GO HILLS!’ Don’t worry little buddy, we’ve got your ‘B!’ GO BBBBBILLS!!” another post read, featuring an adorable photo of Jack in his red-and-blue Buffalo “Hills” pajamas.
We’re told warrior Jack was yelling, “GO HILLS!”😃 Don’t worry little buddy, we’ve got your “B!” GO BBBBBILLS!! 🥳💙♥️#JackAttack #puntpeprally pic.twitter.com/352PV6Rj7t
— P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative (@PUNTpedcancer) January 15, 2024
Cardell in quarterback Josh Allen’s #17 jersey is another featured fighter. “Our friend Cardell is cheering on Josh Allen & the Buffalo Bills from the 12th floor of Oishei Children’s Hospital today. How about some high fives of support for this courageous warrior!?”
The post added a yellow heart emoji to express love for Cardell and his family. “We are forever on your team.”
Our friend Cardell is cheering on Josh Allen & the Buffalo Bills from the 12th floor of Oishei Children’s Hospital today. How about some high fives of support for this courageous warrior!? We 💛 you, Cardell and family. We are forever on your team. 🫶🏻♥️💙🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/YDkYvHeCkc
— P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative (@PUNTpedcancer) January 15, 2024
P.U.N.T.’s site also showcased the twinning spirit of identical sisters Haelyn and Nelle, with Nelle holding a protective arm around Haelyn, who went through kidney cancer.
“Game-day ready! Haelyn(left) finished chemo in September for a kidney tumor. Nelle(right) is her identical twin sister ! They’re both cheering for their Buffalo Bills and we wrap our hearts around their family so that #noonefightsalone.”
Game-day ready!😍🏈😍Haelyn(left) finished chemo in September for a kidney tumor. Nelle(right) is her identical twin sister🤍! They’re both cheering for their Buffalo Bills and we wrap our hearts around their family so that #noonefightsalone. 💛💙♥️🫶🏻 #LetsGoBuffalo #gameday pic.twitter.com/RK5PK3FirN
— P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative (@PUNTpedcancer) January 15, 2024
Providing hope and comfort for these kids, the Buffalo Bills football players consistently support the organization throughout the year by stopping by for some hangs and some smiles, and now, they have some extra good luck for their match-up against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
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Caring for a Child with Cancer
If your child has been diagnosed with cancer, it’s an immense responsibility to ensure they’re getting the best care possible. The National Cancer Institute gives the following recommendations for parents navigating their child’s cancer journey”
- “Build strong partnerships.” Communicate openly and honestly with your child’s care team. Work to build a solid relationship with the people treating your child so you feel confident asking any questions and talking about your child’s treatment plan.
- “Take advantage of the many specialists who can help your child.” There are many people who can help you and your child after a diagnosis. Don’t hesitate to ask for aid from specialists who can help your family understand the disease, learn how it will be treated, and cope with complex emotions.
- “If you get information online, make sure the source is credible.” Doing your own research is a great way to advocate for your child’s health, but it’s crucial to look for reliable sources such as (but not limited to) the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic and National Comprehensive Cancer Network, among others. Talk to doctors about the information you’re seeing and don’t hesitate to get multiple opinions regarding your child’s treatment path.
- “Make sure you understand what your child’s health care team tells you.” Always ask for clarification if something about your child’s diagnosis or treatment is confusing.
- “Keep your child’s pediatrician updated.” Make sure the cancer care team is sharing updates with your child’s regular pediatrician.
And when things get hard, know you’re not alone. We spoke to photographer Jayne Wexler, for instance, who shared how overwhelming it can sometimes feel when caring for a child with cancer.
“It’s really hard to see your child going through this,” Wexler told SurvivorNet. “If it can be me, I would take it in a second, you know. You just go on autopilot and you do what you have to do.”
‘Sometimes You Need To Cry’ — Playing The Role of Cancer Caregiver
Wexler says parent’s dealing with a child’s cancer diagnosis need to be on top of everything. When her son Justice battled acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), she had to do “a lot of organizing and a lot of advocating.”
“You need to keep track of what’s happening, because there’s a lot of components to dealing with cancer,” she said. “So, you don’t have that much time for yourself.
“I try to stay strong, but then sometimes you just want to go and cry and you need to cry, and it’s good to cry. But it’s been a roller coaster.”
Learning How to Identify Pediatric Cancer
Some childhood cancers might not develop any symptoms, but some signs that could be initially overlooked include flu-like symptoms, a “glow” in the pupil, itchy skin, trouble exercising, decreased appetite, a swollen face, abnormal bleeding, a stomach lump, bone or joint pain or even a myriad of odd symptoms.
RELATED: Warning Signs — The Top Ten Childhood Cancer Symptoms
These signs and symptoms are not exclusive to the cancers mentioned, but you should always bring up any changes to your child’s health with their doctors.
Treatment advances in recent decades have led to 84 percent of children with cancer now surviving five years or more, according to the American Cancer Society. This is up from 58 percent in the mid-1970s.
The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation reports that more than 95 percent of childhood cancer survivors have significant health-related issues because of the current treatment options, and only 4 percent of the billions of dollars spent each year on cancer research and treatments are directed towards treating childhood cancer in the United States.
Since 1980, fewer than 10 drugs have been developed for use in children with cancer while hundreds of drugs have been created exclusively for adults.
Dr. Elizabeth Raetz, director of pediatric hematology and oncology at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, reminded us in a previous interview that there is still reason for hope.
“There are also targeted treatments and different immunotherapies that have been studied in adults and have now moved into clinical trials for children and there has been a great deal of excitement in the community about that,” Dr. Raetz told SurvivorNet.
Here at SurvivorNet, we’re always encouraging people to advocate for themselves when it comes to cancer and, more generally, health care. But when it comes to a child, the parent must become the advocate and make sure any possible signs of cancer are fully and expeditiously addressed.
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