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Pediatric Leukemia
Posted by pamcasey18 to Pediatric/Parenting, Oct 7, 2009 3:33pm
My name is Pam Casey and my 18yr old cousin Erin was just recently diagnosed with (ALL) a pediatric form of Leukemia. Erin has just recently moved to Athens TN for a Lacrosse scholarship to Tennessee Wesley College. This is her first time away from home. Erin has always been very active and involved in school sports. She is a beautiful young lady that has her entire life ahead of her. She has gone through so much in her short life. She dealt with the death of her father from diabetes at the age of 4 year old. She was very close to her father’s mother (her grandmother) and her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer then found out about 4 months later that the cancer spread to her brain. A few weeks after finding it had spread to her brain she passed away. Now, after a few months of her grandmother’s death she is starting her future and heads to college. Erin arrives to her dorm and meets the staff/team mates and other students. One morning Erin wakes up at 3am and calls her parents and say "Mom something is wrong with me." Erin is one of the strongest people I know. She had a 4wheeler accident a year prior to all of this and had her front teeth knocked out. That girl didn’t shed a tear! Anyways Erin woke up in agonizing pain and her mother told her to go to the doctor as soon as the clinic opened. She said mom there is a HUGE bruise and knot in the middle of it. What is that? Well from playing Lacrosse that is expected but not for her b/c she never really gets bruised. So Erin goes to the doctor tells all of her symptoms. The doctor did lab work and a few x-rays and let her leave. She gets a phone call 30-45 minutes later and the doctor say come back please. Once she arrives and gets back to a room he gives her the news! It’s Leukemia.
Now she has Leukemia at 18 years old and what is next for my beautiful young cousin? Do you think you can get the spread of Leukemia Awareness out! I know it’s Oct. and it’s all about Breast Cancer well Sept. has passed and we NOW know that is Leukemia awareness but it is not well known. I have decided to spread the awareness do you have any ideas how to start small and end big like the Susan G. Coleman foundation?
I think it is great that you are doing this show. I can’t wait to see how it goes!!!
Thanks Pam Casey
Rome Georgia
derbycitymom
Oct 8, 2009 8:27am
Thank you so much for doing a show that will bring more awareness to childhood cancer. My youngest son John, is a AML(a form of leukemia) cancer survivor. He was diagnosed in October of 2006. We are so proud to say he is a strong courageous 14 year old young man, who has gone through so much in his short life. His brother, was a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant, so lucky for us, when John relapsed in Feb 2008, we knew what our plan would be. Our only choice was a transplant. Although a life threatening procedure, this was his only chance for a cure. Thanks to ground breaking clinical trials, and tried and true methods, John is still here with us today. If you saw him, you would never know the torture his poor body has been through. Being the number one killer of children, more people need to know about it. I would have never thought my child would get cancer, me maybe, but never one of them. We need more people to be aware of this horrible disease in children! I would love to see September (childhood cancer awareness month) being as well publicized as October (breast cancer awareness month)!!! More shows like this will help! Lynn Pfost - Lousiville, Kentucky