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 a Bone Marrow Transplant?
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Childhood Cancer
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 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 Would You Tell a Newly Diagnosed ALL Family? | Part 2
Did your family receive a new diagnosis of ALL? We know that sometimes the best people to talk to during moments such as these are those...
Wisdom and Advice from ALL Rally Moms | Part 1
If you’re reading this, someone you know, it might even be your child, may have been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As...
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...
Meet Rally Kid Keren. Again.
Yes, you have met her before. Five years ago, Rally Kid Keren was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer. Her fight...
What is OSI Connect?
OSI Connect is a free, easy-to-use, invaluable resource for those diagnosed with osteosarcoma Osteosarcoma is a difficult and frightening...
What is a Free DIPG Nurse Navigator?
Rally Kid Tyson (Image Above), brain cancer (2016-2020)Tyson was just two and a half years old when he was diagnosed with DIPG You Are Not...
One step at a time, one prayer at a time
Normal is defined as conforming to a standard; usual, typical or expected. My name is Sarah Gossling and I am one of Rally Kid Grant’s...
New and Innovative Study Technique for Osteosarcoma Metastasis
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a type of cancer that begins in the cells that form bones, and mainly affects teenagers and young adults. In...
Childhood Cancer
What is Rhabdomyosarcoma?
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a type of soft tissue cancer that most commonly affects children and adolescents. It’s often found in skeletal muscle tissue or organs, such as the head and neck area, the urinary system, the reproductive system or appendages like the arms and legs. Rhabdomyosarcoma is part of a larger grouping of cancers called sarcomas which emerge in the body’s connective tissues, like muscles, fat, bones, blood vessels and joints. There are 50 different types of sarcomas. There...
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 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 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 a Difference a Decade Makes
May of 2013 brought the last dose of chemo for my daughter, Danielle. Back then it was hard to see or even think about what life would be like ten years down the road. Honestly, I wouldn’t even allow myself to look that far ahead. Danielle was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia in January of 2011. When the genetic testing came back on her leukemia about a month after diagnosis, it was not good news. She had all the bad markers and none of the good ones. I chose to focus on...