Caring for a Child With Cancer
- Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley’s wife Angelica recently celebrated their five-year-old daughter and youngest child Avery Fraley’s remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a type of leukemia where the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia.
- A child’s cancer diagnosis affects the entire family so when assuming the role of a caregiver, it’s important to remember to be your child’s biggest advocate so they receive the best care possible. This includes making sure any concerning symptoms are fully and expeditiously addressed.
- Caregivers must also be on guard for “caregiver burnout” where stress, anger, fatigue, and illness emerge from putting another person’s needs ahead of their own. Remember, talking to a therapist or your support group is an important tool to help you cope during this difficult period.
- Through interviews with expert oncologists, social workers, patients advocates, and more, SurvivorNet has come up with a checklist of helpful steps cancer caregivers can take throughout the journey.
Angelica Fraley, a 28-year-old mom of two whose been married to her Major League Baseball-playing husband since 2016, took to Instagram earlier this year to commemorate “no leukemia” being detected in her daughter’s bone marrow, just over a month after going public with Avery’s diagnosis.
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The celebratory post comes nearly two months after Angelica first revealed their daughter was battling cancer.
Back on Dec. 10, Angelica shared a heartwarming family photo, writing alongside it, “Our purpose as a family is to glorify God in every season on our lives.
“Recently we found ourselves stepping into a tough season we never saw coming. Our daughter was diagnosed with leukemia and will get right through it in Jesus name. She’s doing well and we are so blessed to have the best support system and team of doctors surrounding our family, in Miami as well as Cincinnati.”
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She continued, “As we navigate this we see the hand of God at work every single day. There’s been countless hard moments and also many moments of understanding the true nature of the Father’s love. Sometimes it’s not about putting out the fire. It is how He walks through it with us letting us know He is there the entire time
“If you know Avery, you know she’s as tough as they come, she is SO smart and understands most of what is going on, she knows Jesus sustains her and the rough part of her treatment will be over soon.”
Angelica admitted that she would have likely kept the news private, but with her husband’s job and her family always going to games and fans following along with their life, “we wanted to get this over with before we get into the new year.”
The loving mom of two concluded, “She’ll thankfully be able to continue treatment as we move and won’t really have to be away from her dad.
“We believe in the power of prayer, we ask that you join us in rebuking this evil spirit and speaking life and health into our family’s life, we pray the Lord blesses each and every one of you in your time of prayer.”
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As for when Angelica and Jake first realized their daughter was having health issues, they previously told WXIX-TV, “It all started with a limp, back pain … she stopped walking.”
Multiple doctor visits and a trip to the hospital ultimately led to Avery’s cancer diagnosis, something Jake recalls as “very difficult … something you can’t imagine.”
Thankfully, their faith, love, and determination to beat the disease has led them to Avery’s remission.
Expert Advice On Caregiving
- Caregiving: An Opportunity for Healing
- ‘A Sacred and Blessed Calling’ – Managing Life As a Caregiver
- Caregivers Can’t Provide Optimal Care for Their Loved Ones with Cancer If They Don’t Care for Themselves
- Caregiving Isn’t Easy; Recognize That You May Need Help
- Where Cancer Caregivers Can Get Help With Finances: Coping With the Bills
- Here Are Top Tips For Cancer Caregivers To Help Them Through The Process
- How to Be a Better Caregiver for Your Loved One
I’m Able to Be Here For More Milestones One Cancer Survivor’s Incredible Story
Understanding Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL, is a type of leukemia where the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. It is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, according to the National Cancer Institute.
What Is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Dr. Olalekan Oluwole, a hematologist with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, previously talked with SurvivorNet about ALL’s effect on the body and the type of treatments that work to fight it.
“ALL is a type of cancer that is very aggressive,” Dr. Oluwole told SurvivorNet. “It grows very fast. Within a few weeks, a few months, the person will start to feel very sick. And that’s why we will have to give it an equally aggressive type of treatment to break that cycle.”
All About Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Answers to the Most Common Questions About the Disease
Dr. Oluwole also says the leukemia often resides in the bone marrow, and because it is an abnormal growth, it just keeps dividing.
“It doesn’t follow rules, and it doesn’t stop,” he told SurvivorNet. “Not only that, because this is part of the immune system, the immune system is sorta like the police of the body. So those abnormal cells that have now become cancer, they have the ability to go to many places. They go into the blood, and they often go into the tissue or the lining around the brain.”
Advocating for Your Child; When to be Concerned
When it comes to your own health, as an adult, advocating for yourself and your own health is extremely important. It isn’t uncommon to run into medical professionals who will dismiss your symptoms, but you know your body the best. And you know when there’s something wrong.
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate: Don’t Settle
The same goes for a parent and their child. Mothers and fathers know when there’s something wrong with their child, and children aren’t able to advocate for themselves.
As a parent, it’s vitally important to pay attention to your child’s health and take them to see a medical professional if you feel something isn’t right. But it’s also only natural to worry about your child and seek professional help for the smallest things.
Coping With A Child’s Cancer Diagnosis
Advocating for your health and your child’s health is essential to getting the necessary care before a condition worsens. Some cancers can have subtle symptoms, so don’t delay seeing your doctor. Luckily, the Fraley’s got their sweet girl into the right specialists just in time.
Family members caring for a child diagnosed with cancer can be stressful. Family support not only eases the anxiety of the cancer patient, but the added support also helps their loved ones.
Caregivers of cancer warriors must also watch out for “caregiver burnout” where stress, anger, fatigue, and illness emerge from putting another person’s needs ahead of your own.
Caregivers who find themselves struggling to care for a cancer warrior should seek out a therapist, or a support group of their own either online or in person.
Dealing With Grief Related to Health Problems
As parents navigate the cancer journey with their young cancer warriors, it’s important to remember children’s bodies may react differently to treatments than adults because their bodies are still growing.
“They may receive more intense treatments…and they may respond differently to drugs that control symptoms in adults,” according to the National Cancer Institute so it’s important to ask plenty of questions to doctors throughout the cancer journey.
Remember, you’re not alone in this journey your child’s oncologist and care team are there to guide you and provide information and answers. Oncological social workers are a fantastic resource to help you sort out the financial aspects of cancer treatment, as well as other cancer-related issues. Skilled psychologists and counselors can be accessed to help you maintain good mental health through your child’s cancer journey, to the best of your ability.
And, don’t be afraid to reach out to your support system friends, relatives, etc. for help through this process. No one expects you to handle everything on your own.
Meanwhile, if you’re wondering what you can do to ensure your child is getting the best treatment possible, consider the following recommendations from the National Cancer Institute.
- “Build strong partnerships” Communicate openly and honestly with your child’s care team. You want to build a solid relationship with the people treating your child so you feel confident asking any questions and discussing your child’s treatment path.
- “Take advantage of the many specialists who can help your child” There are many people who can help you and your child after the diagnosis arrives. Don’t hesitate to ask for specialists to help you and your child learn about their disease, understand how it will be treated and cope with difficult 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, but it’s important you’re looking at reliable sources such as (but not limited to) the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, National Comprehensive Cancer Network and American Society of Clinical Oncology, among others. Talk to doctors about what you’re finding 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” You need to ask for clarification if something about your child’s diagnosis or treatment is confusing.
- “Keep your child’s pediatrician updated” Make sure your child’s cancer care team is sending updates to their regular pediatrician.
Advocating for Your Child
Here at SurvivorNet, we always encourage people to advocate for themselves when it comes to cancer and, more generally, health care. When it comes to a child, the parent must become the advocate.
The Impact of a Childhood Cancer Diagnosis on the Whole Family
And even if you’re called ‘pushy’ or people dismiss the concerns you have for your child, it’s important to remember that you never know when speaking up about a seemingly unproblematic issue can lead to a very important diagnosis cancer or otherwise.
“Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn’t work, what the next plan is,” Dr. Zuri Murell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. “And I think that that’s totally fair. And me as a health professional that’s what I do for all of my patients.”
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate- Don’t Settle
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, April Knowles also talked about self-advocacy and explained how she became a breast cancer advocate after her doctor dismissed the lump in her breast as a side effect of her menstrual period. Unfortunately, that dismissal was a mistake.
Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 39. She said the experience taught her the importance of listening to her body and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.
I Wanted My Doctor To Like Me, Then He Missed My Breast Cancer
“I wanted my doctor to like me,” she said. “I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors.”
Figuring out whether or not you have or your child has cancer based on possible symptoms is critical because early detection may help with treatment and outcomes. Seeking multiple opinions is one way to make sure you or your child is getting the proper care and attention. You should also try to remember that not all doctors are in agreement. Recommendations for further testing or treatment options can vary, and sometimes it’s essential to talk with multiple medical professionals.
Having Faith During a Cancer Journey
For some people, turning to faith during times of trouble like a cancer journey can be an empowering way to cope.
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans promotes prayer for anyone struggling with a complex web of emotions after a cancer diagnosis.
Faith Perspective: Opening Yourself Up to Others After a Cancer Diagnosis
“It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,'” Pastor Evans previously told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God and you can reach out to people, your friends and family and say, ‘I can’t do this on my own. I need you.’ It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can actually find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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