“Play Lady” is not a major you’ll find at any college, and it’s not a requirement listed in any job description. But it’s the role that Lisa Scherber was born to fulfill. For more than 23 years, Scherber, officially the director of patient and family programs, and her small staff have worked to bring smiles … Read more
On September 24, 2015, in a sixth floor room at Boston Children’s Hospital, 5-year-old Logan Lesselroth pressed the button that started the transfer of his newly harvested blood stem cells to his 3-year-old sister, Gianna. “This,” Gianna told him, “is a gift from your body.” The path to that moment and the stem cell transplant’s … Read more
While the end of active cancer treatment may bring some relief, it can also bring many questions and anxieties for young patients and their families. In this Cancer Conversations podcast episode, Lisa Diller, MD, chief medical officer of the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, discusses topics around fertility, growth, late effects of treatment, … Read more
Bigger and pinker each year, the Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center’s annual Pig Party was held on March 4, marking the seventh celebration of a beloved tradition on National Pig Day. “The Pig Party was started by a patient more than eight years go, which is what makes the day so spectacular,” says … Read more
This post originally appeared on Notes, Boston Children’s Hospital’s Clinical Health Blog. With over 75 percent of children diagnosed with cancer surviving into adulthood, more and more parents ask questions about the quality of life survivors can expect in the future, including: Will my child be able to have children down the road? They’re right to … Read more
Bridgette West sparkled last fall in the “Fight Song” music video created by patients at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. But before the 2-year-old became a social media standout with her dancing, she and her family faced challenges that went far beyond a cancer diagnosis. In the summer of 2015, after struggling for … Read more
Amy Kindstedt hates cancer, but the 9-year-old is very thankful for one thing: Because genetic testing on her baby brother Hunter revealed he had the same genetic mutation she did, his cancer was caught much earlier – possibly sparing him the same level of intense treatment she endured. The mapping of the human genome has … Read more
Each February 4, people everywhere are encouraged to take steps toward improving cancer awareness, prevention, and care on World Cancer Day. But for Dana-Farber staff working with colleagues in dozens of under-resourced countries, every day provides opportunities to help cancer patients worldwide. The Global Health Initiative at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has … Read more
Allison Schablein seems an unlikely candidate to teach medicine to Mark Kieran. She’s an 8–year-old New Hampshire second grader who loves basketball, hip hop, acrobatic dancing and jewelry. He’s a pediatric neuro-oncologist with a PhD in molecular biology, not to mention decades of clinical and research experience. But teach Kieran, Allison does. In December 2012, … Read more
During Dana-Farber’s annual Girls Weekend, 25 girls ages 13-25 relaxed with a few days of shopping, makeovers and fun with new friends who understand what it’s like to have cancer as a young girl. The girls, who are all patients at Dana-Farber Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, spent the weekend shopping, seeing a … Read more
This blog post originally appeared on Vector, Boston Children’s Hospital’s science and clinical innovation blog. By Tom Ulrich For some pediatric cancers, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, older forms of therapy — and older ways of defining who receives which therapy — have served well over the last few decades. But that approach is no longer … Read more
A year ago, Aimee Fellows couldn’t imagine being back at Boston Children’s Hospital, awaiting the start of another violin concert featuring her daughter. Sophie, now 10 years old, is dressed this time in a frilly white blouse, black skirt and black dress shoes, her first pair of heels, albeit little more than an inch higher … Read more
By Lisa Diller, MD While recent research shows improvement in long-term survival rates for childhood cancer patients, challenges remain for many of the almost 400,000 survivors in the United States. Among the long-term survivors are women facing gynecological health issues from the late effects of their treatment. There are a number of health concerns women … Read more
This post originally appeared on the Jimmy Fund Blog. In preparation for his first day of kindergarten, young Michael Sweetman visited his primary care physician. What they anticipated to be a routine checkup left Michael’s parents with more questions than answers. The very next day, the Sweetman’s visited Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, … Read more
Before Nicholas Cleary was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma, his mother, Lisa, and aunt, Nicole, often talked about participating in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai and had contributed to other Walk teams in the past. So when Nicholas was diagnosed at 22-months old, Nicole and Lisa knew right away they would … Read more
Childhood cancers are very rare; in fact, they make up less than 1 percent of all cancers diagnosed annually. Therefore, there are not any regular screening tests, unless a child has an increased risk due to genetic predisposition. We’re taking a look at some of the common childhood cancer symptoms, and when parents should seek … Read more
For kindergartners through teenagers, it’s back-to-school time. And while this annual rite of passage is often met with groans, for children undergoing cancer treatment, this can be a welcome change – provided you properly prepare. “School serves as a normalizing experience for kids with cancer, because it’s what their peer group is doing,” says Lisa … Read more
At its most basic level, gene therapy is a powerful technique for correcting mistakes (called mutations) in DNA of human cells. Lately, the therapy has been gaining traction as a potentially life-saving treatment for children with an array of inherited rare blood and immune disorders, as well as certain cancers. Gene therapies are being carefully … Read more
Although treatments for childhood cancer patients are improving, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in children. Doctors and researchers are also focused on decreasing the toxicity of these treatments, which can have side effects years after a child finishes treatment. “The war against childhood cancer is hardly over,” says Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, … Read more
An atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a very rare and fast-growing tumor of the central nervous system. AT/RT is part of a larger group of malignant tumors called rhabdoid tumors, which are found outside the brain, in the kidneys, liver and other locations. AT/RT is most commonly found in the cerebellum and brain stem, which … Read more