May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month May is recognized as Brain Tumor Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining a light on one of the...
May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month
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Childhood Cancer
What Is Osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. The tumor often originates in the long bones of the body,...
What is Brain Tissue Donation?
When your child is first diagnosed with brain cancer, you may be asked if you want to donate your child’s tumor tissue. A brain tissue...
What Is MIBG?
When your child is diagnosed with cancer, you have to learn a whole new language in just a few days. Terms, phrases, and abbreviations are...
What is Rotationplasty?
If your child is diagnosed with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma, both different types of bone cancer, near or around the knee, your doctor...
What Is A Second Opinion?
Hey Mom and Dad, Let’s chat, Cancer Parent to Cancer Parent, about seeking a second opinion. I’ll be the first to admit I was very nervous...
What Is CAR-T?
You may have heard of CAR T-cell therapy, also called CAR T, but what is it? It is an immunotherapy treatment that uses your child’s own...
What Is a Lumbar Puncture? What is a Spinal Tap?
It’s scary enough to have your child diagnosed with cancer. But on top of that you hear all these new words and terms, which can be...
What Is a Bone Marrow Transplant?
You just learned that your child has to have a bone marrow transplant. It sounds ominous. You have a lot of questions. Like, what exactly...
What is Chemotherapy?
You just found out that your child has cancer. And that chemotherapy is part of the treatment plan. Most everyone has heard of...
What is Radiation?
Radiation therapy is targeted energy used to destroy cancer cells, shrink tumors and/or alleviate certain cancer-related symptoms....
What is an MRI?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Having an MRI does not hurt, and it is safe – no radioactivity is present. It may take up to...
What is a CT Scan?
A CT (or CAT) scan is a diagnostic medical imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images of internal organs, soft tissues, blood...
What is a Blood Transfusion?
A blood transfusion is a routine medical procedure to transfer blood (or a specific component of blood) from one person to another. Blood...
What is Charity Navigator?
When you are in the market for a new refrigerator, you ask your neighbors and friends for recommendations, and maybe even consult Consumer...
Childhood Cancer
May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month
May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month May is recognized as Brain Tumor Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shining a light on one of the most complex and aggressive forms of cancer affecting children. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in kids, yet they remain underfunded compared to other cancers. This month is about more than awareness. It is about urgency. It is about progress. And most importantly, it is about the children and families facing diagnoses that no one...
What Is Osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. The tumor often originates in the long bones of the body, and while osteosarcoma frequently starts in a particular bone, it can potentially move to other sites in the body, such as the lungs and other bones. This movement, known as metastasis, makes the disease more difficult to treat. “For patients that present with no evidence of metastatic or disseminated disease, the overall prognosis is about 70-75%,” said...
What is Brain Tissue Donation?
When your child is first diagnosed with brain cancer, you may be asked if you want to donate your child’s tumor tissue. A brain tissue donation is a very personal decision to make, especially at a time when you are confronted with so many decisions and questions. This informative video, “The Journey of Donated Tissue” by our friends at the Swifty Foundation will answer many of the questions you might have. Rally is very supportive of brain tissue donation, and wants to help spread awareness of...
What Is MIBG?
When your child is diagnosed with cancer, you have to learn a whole new language in just a few days. Terms, phrases, and abbreviations are used by healthcare professionals who deal with cancer every day. And it can leave you dazed. But sometimes it helps to use an acronym, for instance MIBG – which stands for metaiodeobenzylguanidine. Just try saying that ten times in a row! MIGB is used to treat neuroblastoma. This clear liquid consists of two materials: metaiodobenzylguanidine, or MIBG, and...
What is Rotationplasty?
If your child is diagnosed with osteosarcoma or Ewing sarcoma, both different types of bone cancer, near or around the knee, your doctor may recommend a procedure called rotationplasty. Other options include amputation and limb salvage surgery. Rotationplasty is a type of autograft that generally provides greater function than a standard above-the-knee amputation or limb salvage surgery. Rotationplasty gives a child a greater chance of participating in competitive sports. Ankle Serves as Knee...
What Is A Second Opinion?
Hey Mom and Dad, Let’s chat, Cancer Parent to Cancer Parent, about seeking a second opinion. I’ll be the first to admit I was very nervous when seeking a second opinion. I did not want my child’s team to feel insulted or think that I didn’t trust them. We LOVE our team, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they love our daughter. And guess what? After receiving the second opinion, the first thing our primary doctor said was “Never feel bad about seeking a second opinion.” In the...