“Glioma” is a general term for a group of tumors that begin in glial cells—the supporting cells of the brain. Gliomas are classified based...
What is a Glioma?
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Childhood Cancer
What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow...
What is Wilms Tumor?
Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that primarily develops in children around the ages of three and four. It’s the most common type of...
What is Retinoblastoma?
In simple terms, retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that develops in the immature cells of the retina. Though it is rare—with approximately...
What is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer of the myeloid cells that normally form white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets....
Words of Wisdom from a Brain Tumor Mom
In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, I asked Melissa Mott—one of my favorite Brain Tumor Moms—a few questions. I really enjoy her...
Why I Chose Pediatric Oncology and Research
Rally Researcher and pediatric oncologist Dr. Michael Kinnaman received a Rally Postdoctoral and Clinical Research Fellow Grant. In part...
A Letter from Rally Kid Peyton to Families Battling Cancer
Dear families experiencing childhood cancer and pediatric palliative care doctors, I am a Rally Kid and a first-year student at the...
The Truth About Palliative Care—It’s Better Than You Might Think
For many pediatric cancer patients and their families, palliative care is a beacon of comfort during the extreme discomfort of symptoms,...
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro For Kids Fighting Cancer
I sometimes find myself wondering what it must feel like to be a kid who gets the devastating news that he or she has cancer. Throughout...
Childhood Cancer
Cleaning Out the Medicine Cabinet
17 BOTTLES A few weeks ago, I cleaned out the medicine cabinet. That doesn’t sound super exciting, I know, but I threw away 17 bottles of expired chemotherapy and cancer related medications. Last year, these bottles were strung out across our counter at all times ready to be administered to my daughter Lexy every 4-12 hours. A lot has changed in a year. BACK TO “THAT” PLACE I’ve been reminded that fear can strike at any time. I had tried to clean the medicine cabinet after Lexy’s port removal...
What is an Astrocytoma?
An astrocytoma is a brain tumor that begins in astrocytes—a type of glial cell that supports nerve cells in the brain. Astrocytomas can be benign or malignant and typically occur in the brainstem, cerebellum, cerebrum, hypothalamus or optic nerves. Tumors that start in glial cells are called gliomas and are named for the specific kind of glial cell in which they originate: astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or ependymocytes. Astrocytomas are the most common form of gliomas found in...
Happiness & Heartbreak: Life as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse
FINDING A HOME IN NURSING For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to work in pediatric oncology and help kids with cancer. When I started my freshman year of college, I had my sights set on becoming a pediatric oncologist. My head was filled with visions of helping little warriors fight big battles. It wasn’t long before I realized those visions and dreams in my head were more focused on the job a nurse does rather than a doctor. So, I found my home in nursing and still dreamed of working...
“See You On Monday”
A year ago Friday I looked at the Rally staff and said, “See you on Monday.” On Saturday, I spent the day doing research on COVID-19. By Saturday night I was looking up best practices for working from home. On Sunday, I called the leadership team together. Within two hours we had three Zoom accounts and a meeting scheduled with the whole team. I told the Rally team we would be sheltering in place and meeting by Zoom each morning and afternoon. I broke the news that we would not have any of our...
What is Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH)?
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder in which the body produces an overabundance of Langerhans cells. These cells, which are also known as histiocytes, are a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight off infections. LCH causes too many of these cells to form, ultimately resulting in a buildup in the body. This accumulation of cells then damages organs, forms tumors, and otherwise disrupts normal tissue functions. According to the Histiocytosis Association,...
What is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a cancer of the body’s lymphatic (lymph) system which is essential to the immune system. The lymphatic system is made up of a type of white blood cells also known as lymphocytes which flow throughout the whole body. These lymphocytes fight infections throughout the body, so when cancerous cells begin to grow they can quickly spread through the entire lymph system. This then makes it difficult for the immune system to work properly. Early symptoms of lymphomas usually begin with a...